Skunk Fu a New Arrival
by blaster702
Summary: A bigger threat than Dragon looms over the valley. Does this new arrival have what it takes to give the valley animals the healp they need? read an REVIEW please
1. Chapter 1

Skunk Fu

Fox walked through the bamboo forest trying to seek out her favorite training spot. She came into a small clearing of fallen bamboo trees where she often practiced with her fans. The sun had found spots to break through the thick clusters of trees which offered a nice place to warm her fur when she decided to take a break.

It hadn't been ten minutes before she spotted a group of eyes intently watching her unmoving.

"Oh boys" she said at length in a rather seductive tone. "Don't you want to help me train?" She asked while using her fans to cover her face and strike a pose.

With that a group of ten Ninja Monkeys surged forward with intent to kill. Fox easily and swiftly beat those off with quick strikes to the face, stomach, and a rather unlucky case got hit somewhere I'd rather not specify.

The assailants had been knocked back in a rather neat little pile to the right side of her. She smiled to herself as she heard heavy lumbering feet approach her._ Now things get interesting_. She thought rather smugly to herself

"Oi you buffoons, I told you not to rush her head on like that." A heavily accented voice shouted from the shadows.

Suddenly a large figure appeared. "So you finally show your face huh Baboon."

"Well you know how it is." Baboon retorted. "You want something done right you have to do it yourself."

Suddenly he rushed forward swinging wildly. She easily dodged his attacks by stepping backwards. Unfortunately she wasn't quick enough to dodge a kick which made her stumble into a small pile of leaves. She felt something tight rap around her ankle, pulling her upwards.

Fox opened her eyes to notice that she had been suspended upside down making her defenseless. _So this is Baboons genius trap,_ she thought bitterly.

"Poor poor Fox." He said with a smile across his rotten face. "Looks like beauty comes with a price," he laid a hand on her. When he felt Fox flinch it only increased his delight.

"Is this all you had planned Baboon!" Fox spat out. "I'm honestly disappointed."

"Yep came up with it myself."

"So tell me how long it took you to come up with this genius plan."

"About two hours." He bragged with a snort.

Fox couldn't hold back a small giggle. This did nothing but infuriate the cocky Baboon.

"Oi I'll teach you to laugh at me!" He screamed while raising his hand to slap the suspended Fox.

Before his open palm could reach its mark there was a sharp whistle followed by a loud crack. Baboon let out a cry as a shock of pain went through his wrist and up his arm. He forgot all about his prize hanging in the tree and turned his attention at the unknown assailant.

"Now you know that's no way to treat a lady." A mysterious voice echoed through the bamboo trees.

"Oi come out so I can show yew how I treat punks!"

Baboon turned in circles scanning the area for his opponent. As did Fox, She tried her best to place who the voice would belong to. It couldn't be Skunk the voice was to deep, nor rabbit. It couldn't have been Donatello, he and Squirrel hadn't returned from Marzipan City yet. It must be someone she doesn't know.

As if answering her, a tall figure emerged from the shadows. He was wearing a worn green jacket, a pair of fingerless batting gloves and dirty jeans. His fur was dark and he had ice blue eyes the stranger was obviously a canine. Baboon ran forward in a fit of anger. Swinging wildly and without thinking the stranger was much too quick for him to strike. Baboon gave one last heavy swing that was ducked skillfully, Baboon's stomach met with the assailant's fist, knocking the wind out of him. He clutched his ribs and staggered. Another solid blow knocked him down on the ground, a skilful kick to the face knocked him into the dirt. Baboon crawled to his feet and sprinted off to his master fallowed by his small band of ninja monkeys.

"That's how we do it in Coney!" He yelled after the retreating group.

Fox stared in amazement at this newcomer. Her mind swam with questions. Who is he? What's he doing here? Is he on her side? She was pulled out of her trance when he walked over to her.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a concerned voice while undoing her ankle tie.

"Ye…yeah just a little shaken up, that's all." Fox replied as she was let down out of the tree

"That's good; I was worried there for a minute."

Fox was now untied and brushing herself off. "If you don't mind me asking, who are you again?"

"Oh yeah you can call me wolf." He replied while extending his hand. "I heard you people in the valley needed a little help and I thought you might need a mechanic."

"Well I suppose I could take you to meet Panda."

"Um who might I ask is that?"

"Oh sorry he's the leader of our little group." "Come on I'll take you to meet him." She said with a smile.

"Okay so long as I can get a place to sleep." He replied with a smooth smile back.

Together Wolf and Fox walked down the trail leading out to the valley.

_Well that's the first chapter hopped you liked it special thanks to cartuneslover for letting me yous her character in my fic this is my first ever fic so I'll take all criticism. Good or bad, thanks. _


	2. Home Sweet Home

_Again I would like to thank cartunslover go watch her vids on you tube if you're a skunk fu fan_

Home sweet home

Fox and Wolf stood in the middle of a circle of onlookers. Excited murmurs put him on edge. He heard a sharp comment or two such as

"I don't trust him."

"What on earth is he wearing?"

Wolf put the comments out of his head and cast his attention to the sound of large lumbering feet approach. His dog tags jingled on his chest as he turned his body to see a large black and white bear walk and stand in the middle of the crowd, facing the two.

"Silence!" The bear commanded in a commanding tone. "Fox, who is this you brought to us today."

Fox bowed low and said "He says his name is Wolf master Panda."

"I see," Panda stroked his chin a couple times as he looked at this newcomer with a penetrating gaze. "Step forward." He commanded breaking the long silence.

Wolf stepped forward without breaking eye contact. He stopped a few inches in front of Panda. He noticed the age and wisdom inside of this old bears hazel eyes, eyes that have seen much.

"What is it that brings you to our valley?" Panda asked

"Well I heard that you people were having a bit of trouble." Wolf replied. "I figured you might want a mechanic, someone to fix up your stuff."

"Where are you from, might I ask?"

"Uhh… well I was born in New York, and now I live on Coney Island."

"Do you know any style of fighting? Or will you just be defenseless?"

"Well I beat down a big hairy ape on the way here. That's how I met Fox." Wolf said while motioning his hand to point her out

"Fox is this true?" Panda asked.

"Yes Master Panda, if it wasn't for wolf I would have been captured."

Panda hummed while he thought if it would be a good Idea to let this newcomer stay. It was at least five more minutes before his thoughts were rudely interrupted by a voice in the crowd.

"This is ridiculous." A voice rang out.

Wolf scanned the crowd trying to find who was insulting him. There was a sound of flopping feet as a small figure emerged from the crowd. This creature had two large ears sticking straight up his huge feet were apparently what wolf heard. Brown eyes looked at him and he had his arms crossed.

"You aren't seriously thinking of letting this punk join us, are yah Pandie?"

"Rabbit this boy here could be a very valuable asset in our battle with dragon." Panda retorted.

"Well I don't trust him. Fox gets captured and this guy just conveniently shows up to save the day. How stooped do you think I am?"

"Well considering what you've just said, I would have to guess very." Wolf retorted with a nonchalant shrug.

There was a slight wave of laughter through the crowd as they heard wolfs mockery of rabbit. Rabbits head turned steaming red as he flustered in anger. He opened his mouth to say a comeback but was cut off by Panda.

"That's enough you two." Panda glared at them both. "I believe Wolf would be good help here. I think he shall stay."

"Fox would you be kind enough to show Wolf around the valley for us."

"Yeah sure;" Fox said with a smile. "Come on I'll show you where you can stay." She said while motioning for him to follow.

About half way into the little tour Wolf made a rather abrupt stop. He saw an old duck struggling to make her way up the hill while carrying two pales of water on a long pole. He ran down and asked if she needed any help

"Why thank you young man." Duck said as Wolf lifted the pales off her shoulders.

"Nothing to it," Wolf replied as he moved up the hill.

"Where do you want these exactly?"

"Oh just set them over there, if you would."

Wolf did and said goodbye to her as he ran to catch up with Fox. He found her waiting patiently next to a group of caves.

"There you are, I thought you ditched me there for a minute." Fox said.

"Naw just saw a old duck having a bit of trouble and decided to give her a hand."

"Alright well come on I found a nice place for you."

She led him inside a large cave and when I say large I mean huge. It was enough to fit two houses and car. This was plenty of room for Wolf to fix up pretty much any thing. Wolf walked in and surveyed his new home.

"Oh yeah, this will be perfect."

"What do you plan on fixing up first?" Fox asked as she walked up next to him.

"This," wolf said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small keychain.

There was a small honking in the distance as Wolf pressed a button. A large black truck rolled into the cave right in front of them. Wolf walked around admiring the truck he loved as much as a brother. The paint shimmered in the light and on the back was a set of words that said plain and simple. You wish.

"Nice isn't it." Wolf bragged.

"It sure is." Fox said in wonder.

Wolf hopped in the back and started throwing out boxes of tools and living material. It had been about two hours before he and Fox had finished unpacking all of his things. His bed was in the corner, his work bench at the other end of the cave and he set up some lights to brighten the place up. A few pictures were hung up on the wall and a stereo was sitting on a stand right next to his bed. The sun had set behind the hills and it wouldn't be long before nightfall.

"Well thanks for helping me set all this up. I'll uh see you tomorrow then?" Wolf asked.

"Sure I'll check in on you." She replied with a cute smile "If you need anything my dens right around the corner."

With that she waved goodbye and left for her own home. Wolf flopped down on his bed threw off his jacket, and turned off the lights, he immediately passed out. Wolf had stayed in the valley for fourteen days, getting accustomed to what the life was like and meeting new people. But on the thirteenth night something strange happened while he was asleep.

Wolf was standing on a cliff overlooking the bamboo forest. Two other people he didn't recognize stood with him. One was dressed in armor and a cape as black as night, he was a cobra of some kind. He looked to his right and saw a female leopard standing still with a broad smile stretched across her face.

"There is no doubt about it. He is the one." The cobra hissed.

Wolf took a step closer to the edge, and stood in puzzlement as he watched a figure that was completely identical to him beat off a hairy ape and rescue Fox. Thoughts raced through his head.

_What is this, am I watching myself from up here, who are these people, are they talking about me._

The cobra suddenly turned to him.

"It seems the prophecy shall come forth." He said with a snarl. "Blood shall spill blood shadow and light will meet and unspeakable destruction shall be unleashed."

He heard a distant voice call his name, and the vision faded. Wolf awoke with a start his brow soaked in sweat.

"Come on lazy bones." Fox was yelling from the entrance to his cave. We have morning patrol today."

He hopped put of bed_ what was that?_ Wolf asked himself._ A dream, no it felt way too real. Whatever it was it creped me out. I'll ask Panda about it later._

He put on his jacket, his lucky dog tags and of course his gloves.

"Are you coming or what?" He heard Fox yelling impatiently.

"I'm coming I'm coming." He replied as he ran outside.

For now he put the vision out of his head, little did he know that the wheals of fate were turning, and a great battle was at hand.


	3. one long day

"Baboon!" A menacing scream rang out over the mountain. "Get in here now!"

Baboon scrambled over a few cowering ninja monkeys as he rushed to meet his master. Baboon was worried much more worried than he had been the other times Dragon screamed for him, something gave him a worse feeling than usual.

Baboon leaned around the corners that lead to the dark corridor of Dragons lair. He stepped down the stairs.

"Uh…I'm here master." Baboon whispered.

A dark scaly shape arose from the pit that the stairs overlooked. A shadow fell over Baboon as he bent down and quivered in fear. Fire flared from his nostrils as he looked down upon his pray.

"Baboon you have failed me for the last time." It roared in anger.

"B…but master Dragon h…he showed up unexpectedly." Baboon said. "Just give me one more chance…please." Baboon expected his master to let him off like he usually did. Do to the fact that he had no one else smart enough to lead his army. So you can imagine his surprise when dragon said.

"No you incompetent fool. I've found someone much more suitable to control my armies."

"W…what!?" Baboon said in dismay.

Three hooded figures emerged from the shadows to face Baboon. The scaled figure took a few steps in front of the others and removed his hood revealing a snake head and pure red eyes of evil.

"This is your replacement." Dragon said while pointing at this strange newcomer. "You on the other hand are fired!"

Dragon shot flames out of his mouth. Baboon reacted quickly jumping out of the way; luckily his behind was the only thing that got licked in flame. He ran out of the cave and down the mountain and never looked back.

"Shifty little fool, isn't he?" Viper said to Dragon. "Now I heard the word army, why don't you show it to me."

"Why yes, I suppose you should see your new soldiers." Dragon signaled for a couple ninja monkeys to enter his domain.

The ninja monkeys stood cowering in front of their new general.

"Oh this will never do." Viper said while waving his hand and muttering a few words under his breath, shadows leapt from the ground and engulfed the ninja monkeys. When they reemerged they were stronger, taller, and wore armor as black as night. The armor covered there whole body only revealing their eyes and tail, they had samurai type look to them.

"Why you are full of surprises aren't you." Coaxed Dragon as he smiled to himself,

"Why yes and this is only the beginning of it all." Viper replied to Dragon.

Wolf ran through the tall grass of the planes. The grass had an irritating habit of leaping back up when he stepped over it and smacking him in the face. He knew she was right behind him and could hear her fleet feat getting closer and closer.

He felt something hit him in the back hold on to him and force him to the ground. He let out a sigh and reached into his back pocket and pulled out a dollar bill and gave it to his captivator. She quickly snatched the dollar from his hand and giggled before she spoke.

"When are you going to learn that you aren't nearly as fast as me?"

"I don't know Fox, probably when I run out of money to give you." Wolf replied with a smile. "But there is one thing you can't be as good as me at."

"Oh…and what is that?" She inquired with a sarcastic tone.

Wolf acted quickly, snatching both of her wrists and forcing her to switch positions with him. She was now a captive of Wolf. He leaned in a little closer to her face and flashed a smug grin.

"Your never gonna be as strong as me." He bragged.

They both laughed at their little joke. Suddenly Wolf began to feel a little awkward and realized that he was still on top of her. He quickly let go of her wrists and got off of her.

He averted his gaze and turned his head, hoping she didn't notice the redness burning through his fur. Little did he know she was doing the same thing.

"Um…maybe we should be heading back." Fox said while standing up.

"Uh…yeah we should uh do that." Wolf replied while rubbing the back of his neck and keeping his eyes averted.

Fox and Wolf had become great friends since his first arrival. They spent at least two to three hours a day together, not at all to the approval of Rabbit. They turned their usually boring patrols into something a little more interesting, like today they had basically played a rather crazy game of tag.

It hadn't been more than ten minutes since they got back to the valley when they heard a large crash and someone arguing around the corner.

"A dollar says this has something to do with Skunk." Wolf bet Fox.

"You're on." She replied as they ran around the corner into the cave where Squirrel and Donny had set up their teleporter to Marzipan city. As Wolf had suspected Skunk did have something to do with it, but what he hadn't suspected to see was Cat standing next to him at what seemed that both were being scolded by Panda.

"But Panda it was her fault, she was the one that told me to." Skunk said as he pointed an accusing finger at Cat.

"Nuh uh it was his fault." Cat defended her self. "He shouldn't have listened to me."

Panda silenced them both with a wave of his hand. "I don't care who's fault it was, now Squirrel has no way of getting home."

Panda noticed both of them standing near the entrance.

"Wolf my boy come here." Panda waved his hand to signal him

Wolf did as he was told.

"Yes Panda?"

"It seems that Skunk and Cat had messed up the coordinates to Squirrels portal into Marzipan city. I need you to take your automobile and pick them up."

"Sure I don't mind, I've wanted to meet Squirrel for some time now."

"Great, now when you're ready you can go ahead and drive straight into the portal."

"Oh…oh can I come to, I always wanted to go for a drive in a car." Cat said while jumping up and down in excitement.

Panda turned toward her and gave her a look that would have quieted a crying baby. She immediately went quiet.

"Well discuss your punishment later." He cast another glance at Skunk and Cat.

Wolf spent about another ten minutes getting his stuff together before he said goodbye and drove into the portal. There was a bright flash of light and he reappeared on a desert looking type landscape. He checked his distance from where he was to Marzipan. It turned out that he was four hundred miles away. He let out a resounding sigh and leaned against the side of his truck. When he heard something, it sounded like a giggle coming from the back of his truck. Just incase it was something dangerous he decided to check it out. When he opened the back there was none other than Cat and hare sitting straight up looking back at him.

He looked at them with a skeptic gaze.

"Um were in trouble aren't we?" Hare questioned.

"Alright you two, get in the front." Wolf ordered.

"What, you aren't just going to send us back?"

"I'm a mechanic not a computer wiz."

"Oh well that's good news for us." Cat chided.

As all three climbed in the truck Wolf gave out his rules for passengers, one you don't put your feet on the seat, two you don't eat in the truck, and three you do not, DO NOT touch the radio. To Wolf the trip seemed to last three times as long as it normally would have. Cat and Hare would not stop badgering him with questions about New York, and would constantly ask him how long until they got there.

"We get there when we get there." Would always be his answer.

It couldn't have seemed any better when he drove to the front of the place where Squirrel and Donny where staying. No words could explain his joy when he saw the sign that said Mung Dalls Catering Service in fancy lettering. Wolf told Hare and Cat to stay in the truck as he went inside to get Squirrel and Donny.

The bell tied to the top of the door rang as he stepped inside. There seemed to be some shouting coming from the other room. He stepped inside to see a rather large young cat holding a large grape that was shaped like a grenade he was pulling on the stem with all his might. A man with a large mustache and nose was yelling at him trying to get him to put it down.

"No Chowder don't pull on it!" The moustache man screamed.

But it was to late Chowder yanked off the stem. Before it exploded he chucked the grape straight at Wolf! Wolf reacted quickly, he yanked a pan off the rack and using lightning speed he knocked it straight back like a baseball. There was an ear splitting explosion and everything on the right side of the kitchen was covered in purple juice.

He carefully took a couple steps forward.

"Um I'm looking for Squirrel." He told the man standing next to the fat cat.

"Oh yes you must be the boy that's come to pick her up. Go ahead and head upstairs she's in the bathroom getting ready."

As Wolf walked up the stairs he heard Mung ask someone named Schnitzel to go and get the mop. Once he made it up the overly long stairway he heard humming from the bathroom and someone was playing with their hairdryer. He walked a little closer and knocked on the door that was swung open.

"Oh Donny do you think you know what's wrong with my hairdryer?" She asked Wolf obviously mistaking him with someone else.

"I can fix your hairdryer but I aint Donny." Wolf replied while folding his arms in the doorway.

Squirrel whirled around in surprise.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to mistake you, who are you?" she asked getting right to the point.

"Names Wolf, I'm your ride out of here." He replied "Here let me see your hairdryer I'll have it fixed in no time."

She handed it to him; he quickly unscrewed the back and tinkered with the back. In only a manner of seconds he had it back in the hands of Squirrel and fully working.

"Wow what did you do to it?" She asked as she finished drying her hair.

"Oh a screw was loose that's all." Wolf replied. "Now if you don't mind we have a long trip ahead of us and Cat and Hare are waiting so."

"What are Cat and Hare doing here?" She cut him off.

"The two snuck in the back of my truck as I got ready to go. Now I'm not trying to sound rude but can we please get moving?"

"Yeah let me just finish packing."

"You aren't finished packing yet?"

"No almost done though." With that she walked out of the bathroom and into her room to finish."

Wolf smacked his forehead and shook his head. He thought _women, never ready._ He took a couple steps around the corner when he bumped into someone.

"Whoa sorry there, you ok?"

"Ugh yeah I'm fine." Wolf said while robbing his head as it throbbed.

"Sorry you bumped right into my shell." He said

Wolf looked to see none other than the famous Donatello of the ninja turtles.

"No big deal, names Wolf by the way. I've come to take you and Squirrel back to the valley." Wolf extended his hand in greeting.

"It's good to meet you." Donny took Wolf's hand and shook it.

He headed back down. And waited in the truck, the usual onslaught of questions poured out of both Hare and Cat. Which he reluctantly answered; Squirrel took about ten minutes before both her and Donny got in the Truck and they got on their way. About halfway in the trip he allowed Squirrel to break the third rule and change his music.

She sang the words to the song and though she had a beautiful voice it wasn't his kind of music and began to annoy him. Night had fallen by the time they got back and Wolf was eager to get some sleep. But there was one last surprise in store for him.

"Uh Wolf, Panda wants to see you." A panting voice quivered.

Wolf turned around to notice Skunk standing flush faced and out of breath. From how he looked he guessed Panda had Skunk running laps all day. Wolf only imagined what was in store for Cat. Wolf did as he was asked and met Panda outside of a small tent. He noticed a female figure sitting in the inside.

"Wolf my boy someone's come to see you." Panda said

"What do you mean come to se-'' Wolf never got to finish that sentence; something hit him square in the side of the head blurring his vision. He looked to see what had smacked him and saw none other than his sister.

"Rose what the h*ll are you doing here!" Wolf said in surprise. He looked at her she was wearing a tank top and baggy jeans with sneakers and a pair of dog tags matching Wolf's.

"I'm following you!" She screamed as she marched over to him.

She grabbed him by the collar with both hands and pulled him closer to her.

"You can't just leave me at home and march off to wherever you were going!" She screamed at him. "You didn't even say goodbye, leave a note or anything! You just left me there alone!"

Wolf broke free of her grasp.

"This place may not look it but its dangerous!" He put his hands on her shoulders.

Fox came around the corner attracted by the yelling. She noticed them both and decided to keep her distance and listen in on the conversation.

"Your just like Josh you know that." Wolf said to Rose as he put his hands on her shoulders. "I didn't want to lose you to." He gazed into her green eyes.

Rose's hard expression softened as she leaned into him. A small tear ran down Wolf's cheek.

"Here you can stay with me." He pulled her around the corner and took her into his cave.

A couple hours passed Wolf sat outside unable to sleep tears flowed out of his eyes._ Come on Wolf pull yourself together. He's long gone your just going to have to accept that._ Wolf told himself.

"You never told me you had a sister." A voice echoed behind him.

He quickly wiped away his tears and veered around. He noticed The familiar face of Fox.

"Yeah, must have slipped my mind." He replied as she walked over and sat on the grass next to him.

"What's her name?"

"Her names Rose she's named after our mom."

"Huh and I heard you talk about someone named Josh."

He shot her a dirty look. "You were eavesdropping!"

"I…I didn't want to get in between you to, I didn't mean to."

His expression softened a little. "Its Ok, I suppose I can tell you a little."

Fox ears twitched as she listened.

"Josh was our brother; once our parents passed he didn't want our family separated. He took care of us ever since we were little. Money was tight though, in between taking care of us and his job he just couldn't keep it together and got fired. Once Rose was old enough to take care of herself he and I left to join the army." There was a long pause before he spoke again.

He wiped his arm across his eyes. "That's when we lost him." He didn't say anything more, and Fox decided to give him some time to himself. She walked around his home.

"So you my brothers girlfriend or something?" A voice asked.

She turned around to see Rose standing there.

"Uh…no of course not, just good friend is all." She felt her face burn.

"Yeah sure, anyway just make sure you don't badger him to much OK he saw a lot in the army and doesn't like to talk about it."

"Yeah sure I'm sure he will tell me when he wants to."

Wolf went back inside; he gripped his dog tags as hard as he could.

"Josh I promise you I'll keep her safe." He whispered before falling into a fitful sleep.


	4. Ambush

Wolf awoke to the sound of someone chatting with another person. He threw his covers off and took a hazy look around. He put on some clothes when he noticed Rose standing in front of his door. He stepped behind her and noticed that she was talking to Squirrel from the night before.

"I might be able to fix it; he could help if he would get his lazy butt out of bed." Rose was whispering.

"My lazy butt is out of bed, thank you very much." Wolf replied.

"Well it's about time. Squirrel here wants us to take a look at something."

"Yeah if you don't mind I would like to ask if you could fix Donny and my transporter." Squirrel said

"Well I don't mind; just let me get my tools." Wolf replied while he yawned.

With that they all set out across the valley to go and fix up this transporter. Wolf made a stop when he came to a crack stretching out across the side of a large stone hill. Strange he had never seen this spot before but it seemed somehow familiar, he gazed at it for a few minutes before the sound of Rose calling him broke his trance.

"Well here it is the crowning jewel to all my experiments." Squirrel bragged.

"Well let's get to work then." Rose said excitedly. She hadn't fixed anything in a long time and the thought for some reason excited her.

Wolf sat on the right side of the large transporter. Blowtorch in hand he began making a large square like cut into the metal to reach some important wires. He couldn't get his mind off of the strange crack and soon let his mind slip from his work, which led to a long crisscrossing burn reaching out across his arm.

"F**k!" Wolf swore out loud forgetting other people where nearby.

His swearing brought Squirrel and Rose's work to a rather abrupt stop. He dropped the blowtorch and examined his arm; the fire burnt straight through his fur and scorched his skin. Rose ran over and took a look.

"Oh man you really got yourself this time bro." Rose said while making a nasty face.

Wolf's only response was a grunt and the gripping of his burnt arm.

"Hang on I'll be right back." Squirrel confirmed as she ran off to her tree.

She arrived in a few seconds with a tube of salve and some bandages. She immediately set to work. When she applied the salve it instantly eased the pain, she then wrapped his arm in a long bandage. From what she saw it wasn't the first time heed been burned. That wasn't what disturbed her; the perfect shape of a bullet was there accompanying the burns.

"Agh thanks Squirrel that should help out a little. Quite the doctor aren't you." Wolf chided with a smile.

"Yeah no problem, my medical skills do tend to come in handy." She smiled back. "Now you should probably head on back before you aggravate that burn anymore."

"Nah it doesn't even hurt anymore. I heal pretty quickly anyways." He replied while standing up and going back to work.

"But you really should" Squirrel began before getting cut off by Rose.

"Trust me heel be fine. He took a bullet and started walking around again in a couple days." Rose said without looking up from her work. "What we really need is some music." Rose took a small radio out from the toolbox.

The button made a small click as the rock and roll began to play. The radio had a CD with bands on it such as Avenged Sevenfold and Three Doors Down. Wolf tapped his foot to the steady beat of the music and it made the work seem to go faster. Before they knew it they were finishing up and packing it in.

"Well looks like were done, took long enough." Rose put the radio back in the toolbox. "Lets get out of here I'm ready for a shower."

"Yeah that sounds good just let me check if it works." Squirrel said as she stalked over to the teleporters terminal.

She pressed a few buttons and the familiar sound of the machine starting up began, right before it shut back down.

"What I fixed all the components, the wires are fixed I recalibrated the coordinates. Why isn't it starting?" Squirrel asked in dismay.

Rose walked over to the panel where Squirrel was standing and pushed her aside.

"Here I know just how to fix it." Rose said as she lifted up her wrench.

"What are you doing, you'll break it!" Squirrel reached out to stop Rose.

Squirrel didn't make it in time and Rose brought the wrench down hard on the terminal. She stopped when she heard the machine start back up.

"I told you that would fix it." Rose walked by and pat Squirrel on the back. Wolf walked right behind her.

"What's with the racket you guys? Suns just now come up." Wolf heard a familiar voice ask.

He spun around to notice Fox standing with her hands covering her mouth in a yawn.

"Squirrel asked us to help fix up the transporter of hers." Wolf answered.

"Oh, well I'm goanna go get some breakfast from Mrs. Duck. You guys want to come along?"

"I'll tag along I'm starved anyways."

They all agreed and began heading back the way they came. Squirrel walked up to Wolf.

"Can I take another look at that burn? I want to see how its doing." She asked

"Sure;" Wolf removed the bandage.

Squirrel looked at his wound in surprise. It had somehow already begun to heal.

"I've never seen anything like this. It shouldn't have already healed this much."

Wolf snatched his arm away. "I told you I heal fast, and before you ask no I don't know why." He snapped not recognizing his own voice.

"S…sorry I don't know why I acted like that." He looked back at her hoping she wasn't angry.

"Its ok I didn't mean to aggravate you." She looked back with a kind smile.

"Good for a minute I thought you were-;''

Wolf was cut off by a shout from Rose up ahead. He looked and saw something attacking her and Fox. Wolf dashed up front with speed he didn't know he had, he raised his fist and drilled the attacker in the jaw, sending him flying backwards.

"Who was that?" Wolf asked straightening himself back up and looking at the two. He noticed Fox had a cut on her arm.

"I don't know exactly it resembled a ninja monkey but it was stronger than the others and had a sword, its robes were as black as night." She replied.

"Everybody we have company." Rose said while pointing into the grass as several menacing figures emerged, Surrounding them all.

"Looks like were trapped." Squirrel said while backing up to the crack in the side of the hill wolf saw earlier.

Suddenly the attackers lunged, Wolf got lost in the confusion, and he gave an uppercut to one of them, and dropkicked another. He ducked just in time to dodge a sword from coming down on his head he moved fast and kicked the sword out of his hands. He brought his knee up and smiled as he heard the satisfying crunch of his enemy's nose meet his knee.

He swiveled around and saw Squirrel take down a few. Rose dropped one more with her wrench, and Fox took advantage of her Judo skills and threw an enemy over her shoulder. They each were forced to put their backs to the crack in the wall; it seemed when they finished off one two more would take his place. Suddenly Wolf noticed something his hand began to glow, he stared down in dismay. He was so confused and not paying any attention that he didn't notice a crow fly down and land on his shoulder.

"Boy if you don't do what I say you and your friend's won't last a minute more." The crow choked out with a raspy voice.

"Huh, who are you!?" Wolf asked.

"No time for formalities boy now hold your hand up to that wall, quickly now!"

Wolf took one last look at his hand and at the approaching enemies; he did as he was told. There was a bright light and Wolf stood in confusion as the crack suddenly grew into an open doorway.

"Hey guys come on I found a way out." Wolf yelled for them all to follow.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Rose asked as Wolf rushed her into the tunnel.

"You got a better one!?" He yelled back, apparently she didn't from her silence.

He heard a large crash as some rocks fell from the top of the doorway and sealed them in. The whooping and yelling from the ninja monkeys outside died down as they moved deeper in the tunnel. Minutes felt like hours as the air grew thick and the light ran out as they proceeded deeper into the strange cave, they could barely see their hands in front of them. They traveled in single file and in this order. Squirrel, Rose, Wolf with the crow still sitting on his shoulder, and lagging behind the others was Fox. As the light ran out they each gripped the walls to not lose their way.

"Hey can you all feel that? It feels like wind." Rose said.

"Yeah I can feel it to lets pick up the pace." Wolf replied while speeding up his steps.

They entered a small cavern that branched out into multiple rooms. A small torch blazed in the middle of the main entrance. Wolf picked it up and walked around the cavern lighting up all the other torches inside giving the room some light. The whole place seemed to become even more familiar with each moment, he recognized the pictures, the writing on the wall, and even the skeleton sitting in the chair in the center of the cavern with the sword spread across his legs.

(Wait a skeleton with a sword spread out across his legs. Aren't we branching off from the whole Skunk Fu thing, meh you'll live with it.)

Wolf became completely oblivious to the crow sitting on his shoulder until he heard him say.

"Well she doesn't look good." Crow craned his neck to look at Fox.

Wolf spun around to see what he was talking about, he noticed Fox stumble inside the cavern and lean against the wall. Wolf walked up to her.

"Fox are you ok? You don't look so good." Wolf inquired as he took a couple steps closer to her.

"Yeah I…..Just need to catch my breath….is all." She replied in-between gasps of air. Wolf noticed she was grasping her left side.

He crouched down. "What's wrong are you hurt? Let me see."

She grabbed his hand before it reached her side. She gave him a hard stare before she relaxed her grip and let him see. He put his hand on her side he felt her fur was warm and wet something oozed out of her side. He pulled his hand away and saw it coated in her crimson red blood.

"Oh Sh**;" Wolf swore out loud again as he clutched his hand back over the wound. "Squirrel get over here!"

"What why?"

"Just get over here now!"

It sounded urgent and she trotted over immediately.

"Oh boy this isn't good I don't even have my first aid kit."

"What are you telling me you can't help her!?" Wolf snapped.

"Not without my first aid kit, get me something to help stop the bleeding."

Rose ran over and handed Squirrel a bandanna she kept in her pocket. Fox's vision blurred and she suddenly felt very tired. All she remembered afterwards was someone yelling her name and telling her to stay awake.

Wolf heard a loud crash from deeper in the tunnel, signifying that their attackers had found a way inside. He pats Squirrel on the arm.

"Hey you guys need to get out of here; the room over there has a small statue in it. You pull down on the statue and you'll hear a small click. You move the picture aside and there will be a secret stairway head up the stairs and you'll be on the other side of the hill. You get her help right away you hear me I'm trusting you."

Squirrel looked at him for a moment wondering how he knew all this if he hasn't even spent long enough to actually look around.

"What about you?"

"I'm going to try and hold them off. Now go!"

Squirrel ran off with Fox hanging on her shoulder.

"Good now I can actually talk to you, but first things first seal that door." Wolf heard the crow say in his ear.

Wolf did as he was told and sat down on a rock nearby.

"Ok what is this place, who are you what's going on!?" Inquired Wolf.

"Calm down boy, I am Crow and you are in the hall of the grand champion. It was once said that the gods from heaven had created a blade to vanquish all evil from Earth. The sword was said to have chosen a master. Some sought to use the blades power for evil. This skeleton you see here is the grand champion the hero chosen by the blade to use as he wished. There was a great war once this man acquired this blade. A war between good and evil the master of those creatures outside was vanquished and imprisoned in the underworld."

"So this stiff here was some great warrior thousands of years ago, so what's he doing down here."

"I'm getting to that, now shut up. He became consumed in his power and sought to conquer the World. So he basically became the very thing he sought out to destroy. He turned against the people he was made to protect. One day while he was sitting on his throne they sealed him inside with magic, luckily his descendant was still said to be pure before they well killed him."

"I still don't get what this has to do with me."

"Are you really that thick you and you're family are his descendants."

Wolf stood with his jaw wide open. "What are you saying I'm some kind of ancient warrior?"

"Precisely now grab that sword those Ninja Monkeys are getting closer."

"But I don't know how to fight with a sword."

"Oh yes you do now pick it up, quickly now."

Wolf decided it was pointless to argue and did as he was told. Just like Crow predicted three ninja monkeys broke through the lock on the opening door and rushed him. The first one raised his blade, Wolf felt possessed as he parried the sword with his own and swung his blade at the enemy's neck, the blade cut threw his neck masterfully. He watched in a twisted fascination as the new ninja monkey gripped his neck and fell to the ground. Let's just say it wasn't the cleanest kill ever.

The other two were taken aback at this newcomer's skill with a blade. Any other kind of ninja monkey would have turned tail and fled, but these were the new and improved ninja monkeys. Soon they mustered up their courage and charged at him, Wolf made the first move lunging forward he surprised the second one slicing him in the shoulder. He was only wounded however and began to retaliate it twisted its sword and swung to the right; Wolf ducked under the swing and drove his sword upward sticking it in his stomach. Wolf twisted around and his and his enemy's sword collided in the air. Wolf forced the attacker's sword downward. Wolf dug his elbow into the monkey's stomach. As it keeled over Wolf swung upwards decapitating its head from its shoulders.

Wolf stared down at the bodies of his fallen attackers for a long moment. He hadn't killed since…since no he couldn't think of that now. Fox needed him and he had to get out of here. He turned to leave forgetting about his killings.


	5. Chapter 5

Fox lazily opened her eyes and gazed around her den. She did her best to sit up but whenever she moved her left side sent jolts of pain coursing through her body. She looked to the right and saw Wolf slouched in a chair and fast asleep. Suddenly she remembered the recent events, right up until she passed out anyway. She heard the footsteps of somebody approaching the front of her den. Squirrel swayed her way inside wearing her swanky nurse outfit.

"Oh good you're awake, I was coming to check on you."

"I'm fine thanks, what's Wolf doing here?"

"Oh he was really worried about you. Poor guy looked all shaken up when he got out of the cave. If you ask me he really likes you." She gave Fox a mischievous smile.

Fox looked down trying to hide her grin.

"How long was I asleep?" Fox asked

"About two days. Wolf didn't leave your side once."

"Hmm do you think he really cares that much?"

"Care about what now?"

Fox was startled by the third voice in the room.

"Uh…nothing it's not a big deal." Fox said hastily.

Squirrel couldn't help but smile at her obvious embarrassment.

"Well since you two seem to be getting along just fine, I think I'll go ahead and leave you two alone."

Wolf heard her giggle as she walked outside.

"What was that about?" Wolf inquired with a puzzled expression on his face as he scratched the top of his head.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all;" She looked down and smiled.

Wolf looked at her and examined her cute smile; quite frankly he loved it when she smiled but he wasn't going to tell her that.

He looked out the dens entrance and noticed the sun was coming up.

"So what happened down in that cave?"

"Huh,"

"Squirrel said you were all shook up when you got out."

Wolf's happy expression changed into one of sadness "You know those ninja monkeys, well let's just say I didn't let them leave alive."

For a while neither of them spoke. When Fox broke the silence;

"You shouldn't feel bad, I mean it was self defense you had no choice." She looked at him

"I know I didn't have a choice. What disturbs me is…how I felt when I was doing it. When I cut them up I felt…happy, I know I shouldn't have felt like that and it makes me kind of sick to my stomach it was like when I was…was in the war." He couldn't meet her gaze.

She put her hand on his shoulder.

"Wolf look at me."

Wolf did as he was told and looked into her green eyes.

"You feel bad now, that's what count's, your not a bad person I can tell. You did what you had to I know you would have spared them if you could."

"Thanks Fox…you're a good friend."

"Anytime Wolf."

That's when her expression changed. They leaned in Wolf didn't know what he was thinking he was pretty sure she didn't know either. But one thing was certain, that was the first time he really realized how he felt about her. He also remembers how much of a shame it was they didn't get to kiss at that moment. Right before their lips connected Wolf heard a young voice perk up.

"Ewww are you guys kissing."

Wolf and Fox retracted from each other quickly. He turned to see Cat with a disgusted look on her face.

"Of course not we were just uh." Wolf stuttered.

"Telling secretes that's all." Fox picked up his excuse.

"Oh I love secretes can I hear them." Cat's voice perked up again.

"Nope" Wolf said with a smile. "What do you want Cat?"

Cat's smile changed into a frown as she learned she wasn't going to get a chance to partake in the gossip.

"That Crow guy was looking for yah said you were wasting too much time and it was time to train."

"Great now I have to deal with more of his complaining." Wolf said with a grimace as he stood out of his chair and stretched.

"I'll see you around Fox."

Her only reply was a wink. Wolf stepped out into the grass and felt it brush in-between his toes. Oh that's right heed forgotten to wear shoes. He ran back to his cave to change his clothes. He ran inside and put on a white T shirt a new pair of jeans and took off his gloves they'd made his hands really sweaty.

"It's about bloody time boy. I thought it would take you forever to get out here."

Wolf jumped with a start as the voice spoke. He whipped around, he could tell it was Crow but his body had changed he was now at least five inches taller than Wolf, his wings looked just like hands and he was holding two swords. Wolf recognized one as the one he picked up in the cave. Crow threw it to him he instinctively took it from the sheath and admired its beauty.

"So Crow you look different, what is that a new haircut?" Wolf spoke without taking his eyes off the blade.

"Very funny smart ass, I figured you needed someone to train with so I took this shape."

"So you're saying that your some kind of I don't know shape shifter."

"Precisely now if you don't mind we need to get moving. Ha ha hope you didn't eat breakfast."

They walked off into the bamboo forest as soon as they found a clear spot their training began. It was practically the worst three hours of Wolf's life. By the end of the second hour Wolf was a train wreck, his face was swollen from numerous punches his stomach churned, his hands were bleeding, he had sword cuts on his back and front sweat ran into his eyes and he felt like he was going to die.

He lay face down in the dirt stained with his own blood. His ears were ringing he could barely hear Crows taunting. That was the last straw. While Crow was in the middle of calling him a sissy Wolf stood and ran at him with amazing speed swinging the sword as hard as he could at his face. Crow backed up just in time to only get a small cut above his eyebrow. Crow felt the cut as the blood seeped down into his eye. Then the weirdest thing happened he laughed.

"Ha ha ha strategic placing, now you need to focus on hitting me in that eye. That is if I don't knock you out first."

Before Wolf could react a foot blasted him across the face sending him spiraling backwards. For a little bit he lay there, the moment he tried to get back up a fist hit him in the side of the face. His vision went black. Wolf had to deal with a whole hour more of this.

He awoke after the last barrage of blows that knocked him out….again.

"I think were done for today." Crow said as Wolf came to his senses. "Go and get something to eat, everybody should be at Mrs. Ducks eating dinner. I think I'll join you later I love that woman's cooking."

Wolf smiled with relief and limped into Mrs. Ducks hut. The resounding gasps of his friends were all he needed to know that he looked awful. He took his usual seat next to Fox and Skunk. Skunk stared at him in awe. _ And I thought my training was tough_ was all he could think. He could swear he saw Rabbit smiling as if seeing him beaten down was amusing.

"Wolf are you okay? Can I get you anything?" Mrs. Duck asked

"Water….lots of water." Was all Wolf could choke out.

She rushed back with a whole pitcher of water. Wolf drank half of it down and poured the rest of it over his head. He laid his head down on the table. He felt Fox put her hand on his shoulder.

"Wolf are you sure your okay you don't want me to get Squirrel?"

"Crow says I have to heal _naturally_."

As if that was his cue Crow stalked into the hut and Walked over to were Wolf was sitting ignoring Fox's glare he taped him on the shoulder.

"Come on were going to spar one more time."

"What are you nuts?!" He heard Fox screech. "He's been through enough."

"Fox please; I don't think heel deal out quite as much damage as he did last time." Wolf replied while standing up. They walked outside in front of the hut. The onlookers created a large ring intent on seeing the battle.

They both took their proper stances. Crow was the one to make the first move he sprung at Wolf reacted quickly doing his best to block the oncoming blows. His own skill surprised him as he held Crows sword in place with his own. It brought a smile to his face. Wolf pushed forward advancing with his own strikes he even managed to land a kick on Crows right side. But Crow surprised Wolf grabbing his leg and throwing him on his back. He rolled out of the way as Crow stabbed downward. Wolf drove his foot up as hard as he could and hit Crow in the jaw. He recoiled while Wolf moved in for another strike but Crow used such blinding speed all anybody saw was a blur. Wolf felt the sword slide in his stomach, it was all over.

He stumbled for a second and dropped his sword, and fell in the dirt everything went black when suddenly he heard a voice in his own head.

"_So I can finally unleash some of my power to bad I have to use it to save your sorry ass."_

"_Who are you?"_

"_Awe come on don't tell me you have already forgotten. You wouldn't have survived that 50 caliber bullet I f it wasn't for me."_

"_I still don't understand what you are."_

"_Listen your bleeding out. Maybe well get another chance to talk next time you die."_

Wolf opened his eyes to notice the familiar surroundings of his cave. In the distance he heard silent sobbing. He looked to the left to notice Crow sitting in the chair next to his nightstand. He turned his head to the right the very movement pained him he saw Fox bent over tears in her eyes Rose doing her best to comfort her.

"What's with all the crying? I haven't been killed yet." Wolf said

Fox raised her head pure joy on her face.

"I told you I didn't kill him." He heard Crow pitch in. "All that training was today was to advance his healing ability." Crow crossed his arms across his chest. "If you look you'll see there isn't even a mark where I stabbed him."

With that he took his leave Wolf took careful note of how he didn't even say sorry. That's when he felt something moving around under his blanket he moved it aside to see a little shadowy looking ball of energy moving around with amazing speed sealing all his wounds. Wolf looked down at the thing in amazement as it stitched the cuts on his chest, his hands, and anywhere else he so much as bruised, and like that it disappeared.

He was still staring at his arms in wonder when Fox threw her arms around his neck she squeezed so hard it cut off his airflow.

"Ugh Fox your choking me."

She released her grip and looked at him.

"S…sorry I thought you were dead." Her eyes began to tear up again.

"Don't cry I'm fine; really see not even a scratch." He said holding up his arm.

It didn't matter the tears came anyway she pulled herself into him. He didn't know what to say really he kind of just reacted. He put his arms around her and did his best to comfort her.

"Wolf I…I think I."

"Shh I know Fox I know and I feel the same."

For a long time they sat there. Rose had left the room the moment Fox grabbed Wolf, she knew when things were about to get intimate. Fox's sobs had died down by now and she lay there protected by Wolf's arms when he spoke.

"Uh Fox you know about what happened in your den or what almost happened anyway?" He whispered to her.

She smiled to herself. "Yeah that'll be our little secret."

"Alright then" He smiled _well keep it quiet._


	6. gaurd duty

Wolf looked into the sun as it cast burning rays down on his face. God he hated guard duty. Trudging through the desert as he looked around anxiously expecting a bullet to whiz by and end his life forever, Wolf unscrewed the top of his canteen and poured the liquid into his mouth. He swished the water around his mouth making sure to wet every nook and cranny inside; He finished off with a large gulp as he swallowed the water. He toyed with his machinegun for a little bit before a convoy of friendly American solders drove up and parked in front of him. The man in the passenger seat jumped out and walked over to him. Wolf saw by the markings on the human's jacket that he was a general, Wolf saluted him in greeting.

"At ease private." The general told him.

Wolf put his hand down and stood there.

"Private Wolf you've been ordered to leave this position and join this battalion on a mission."

"May I ask what the mission is sir?"

"The mission is to enter an extremely hostile area and move in to capture an extremely dangerous terrorist master mind."

"Who's the target sir?"

"Al-Mualim"

The name stuck in Wolf's head. Did he hear right? He wondered.

"**The **Al Mualim sir?" Wolf's voice changed from one of calmness to anger.

"Yes the one that wiped out your brother's battalion."

"I accept." Without a second thought he dashed to the back of the truck.

Wolf stepped into the back and looked at his comrades. Most were human; there were a few furries though. A cat, a coyote, and a hyena, and him. It was a twenty man squad, Wolf sat down next to a human, as he sat down he heard him whisper something to himself.

"Great another furry that's just what we needed."

Wolf whipped around and gave him a menacing stare.

"What the hell did you say?"

The human looked at him, a calm smile plastered on his face.

"Relax buddy I didn't mean anything by it. Just seeing if you Wolf's can hear as good as they say."

Wolf relaxed a little and stopped snarling. He jolted forward as the truck hit a bump on the road.

"Yeah well they were right." Wolf replied with a smirk.

Wolf saw the human smile.

"Guess they were. Names Michael by the way." He extended his hand in greeting.

Wolf took his hand and shook it.

"My names Wolf good to meet you," He said smiling and turned back to his spot. He didn't really like to get to know people because well they died to fast.

"Almost there guys." Wolf heard the driver call out. They drove into the abandoned town, things were eerily quiet.

That's when he heard someone call out.

"R.P.G" was all he heard before an ear splitting explosion threw the car on its side. His vision went black and he drifted into unconsciousness. He heard Michael call out his name before he passed out.


	7. Flashback

Fox laid her head down on the bare chest of her lover. His arm wrapped around her keeping her warm. She couldn't sleep, her eyes wandered around the room she was still slightly dazed from the events that happened nearly an hour ago. Needless to say it was her first time she never expected it would feel like this. She looked at Wolf the man who had made her feel this way. It was so good to be close to him after all this time, she barely saw him at all do to his training. Fox just wanted to be near him and well on thing led to another, and she was glad it did. She closed her eyes about to drift off into sleep when she felt Wolf's hand move she looked at him. His face made a grimace as his hand twitched again. Fox was worried she had to know what was bothering him. She used an old technique that would allow her to see his dreams. She drifted off and closed her eyes witnessing Wolf's dreams as her own.

Wolf opened his eyes to notice that he was being pulled away from the wreckage that was once a truck. Sand kicked up beside him as bullets whipped past him with evil snaps. His rescuer set him down behind a bunch of sandbags.

"You okay Wolf?" He heard his savior ask.

He looked up to notice the familiar face of Michael.

"Ugh I'm fine a bit banged up is all." He replied while flinching as bullets ripped through the sand bags. One of his comrades caught a bullet in the throat. Wolf heard him make a small gurgle before hitting the ground with a sickening thump.

"You're more than a bit banged up." Michael said while pointing to the small led pipe protruding from his shin.

"Aw man this is just great. Now I got to fix it." Wolf said while gripping the pipe with his right hand.

Michael clasped his hand over his mouth as Wolf ripped the pipe out of his leg with a sickening shluck.

"Jesus what are you the frickin terminator?" Michael inquired with dismay.

"About as close as it gets," Wolf replied while loading his rifle.

He stood up and opened fire on the building his enemies were taking shelter in. His enemies responded with a larger amount of fire. Michael blind fired from behind the sandbags. For the longest time they exchanged bullets.

"We aren't getting anywhere someone has to flank em!" Michael screamed over the gunfire while reloading his weapon.

Wolf rolled his eyes and ripped the pin off of his smoke grenade.

"Popping smoke," Wolf yelled as he threw the grenade in front of the building.

"Lay down suppressing fire!" He screamed while charging the side of the building.

Bullets ripped past him. Screams of anger and agony were heard as he fired his rifle in the windows while he ran passed them blood sprayed on his rifle as he struck the heavy machine gunner in the far right window with his bayonet. He ran down the alleyway on the side of the building and stopped before he turned the corner. He changed the clip in the rifle, adrenaline causing him to do it faster than he ever did before. He peered around the corner. Bullets smacking the wall caused him to retract his head. He took one deep breath and charged around the corner. He quickly ducked behind an overturned dumpster and lay down as bullets ripped through the metal. He peered overhead and saw that his enemies had come out the back door to the building and took cover behind a couple of parked cars. He pulled the pin on a grenade and softly counted to himself while his enemies taunted him.

"You're pathetic American."

"One"

"Al Mualim will be sure to take care of you."

"Two"

"Just like…."

"Three" Wolf dug his nails into the grenade as he waited in anticipation of what he knew they were goanna say.

"How he's taking care of your brother right now."

"Four!" Wolf yelled as he chucked the grenade in-between the two. He heard an ear splitting explosion and a scream of agony.

The smoke cleared as he walked over to the surviving terrorist. Wolf looked at him; His right leg was all but gone from the knee down. Wolf chambered a round in his pistol and put it to the man's head.

"Bet you wish you didn't say that now huh." He told the man.

The man looked up at Wolf's emotionless face. He quivered in fear. He began to cry out; Wolf blew him away before he could utter a word. He marched inside the room and shot the survivors that were left when he ran by the first time. He heard voices from upstairs he slowly preceded up the stairs his knife glinting in the light as he passed under a small lamp that was hung from the ceiling. He stopped just short of the outside of the door and listened to the interrogation.

"Where is your base?" The interrogator asked.

"Josh 6226…" Wolf heard the man on the inside say before a slicing sound was heard and he screamed in agony.

Wolf stood there stunned for a moment he couldn't believe it his brother was alive.

"I have lost my patience with you." Wolf heard another slicing sound and another scream. "Maybe your brother will be more talkative?"

With that Wolf lost himself in rage. He kicked in the door and charged Mualim during his surprise! He punched him twice for good measure then stuck him with the knife! He made sure to aim for the lower intestine ensuring a slow death for the man heed been hunting down for weeks. He bent down so just Mualim could hear his menacing whisper.

"I'm not a very talkative person." He told the man as he slumped to the ground. Wolf cut his brother loose and looked at his wounds. His captive had repeatedly stabbed him in non vital areas staining the bottom of his shirt a dark red. His brother looked up at him without actually seeing him.

"Josh….Josh it's me Wolf." Wolf told his brother tears in his eyes.

"Wolf I need you to do something for me." His brother whispered before coughing up some blood.

"Yeah what do you need big bro?"

"First I want you to tell Rose I'm sorry I missed her birthday."

"S…sure I can do that." The tears were flowing freely now.

"And I need you to do one more thing for me."

"What"

"I need you to take that gun and kill me."

Wolf couldn't believe what his brother had asked him.

"Don't ask me to do that."

"Please it hurts so much. You have to do this for me; it's the only thing you have to do. Please I'm begging you."

Wolf closed his eyes as he un holstered the pistol on his belt and put it to his brothers head.

"Brother thank you."

"I'm sorry Josh." Wolf told his brother as he grabbed his hand.

He shot the gun and watched as his brother went limp.

Fox awoke from the dream her face stained with tears. She looked to the left and noticed Wolf staring back at her. Now that she knew what he went through so much as looking at him made her eyes tear up again. She held back the tears as best she could. She didn't want Wolf to see her like this. That's when she felt a finger wipe away her tear. She looked at him and started to cry again. He pulled her into him and brushed the back of her head. Her tears subsided and she laid there warmed by his fur. She felt the sun peer through the entrance and hit her face.

"Can you stay with me today?" Fox said while staring in his ice blue eyes.

"Yeah I'm going to take today off it'll be just you and me." He stared back into her emerald green eyes.

He gave her a passionate kiss that seemed to last forever. They eventually broke away.

Wolf gave her a mischievous smile.

"How about we go for round two?" He asked her.

Fox smiled back and climbed on top of him.

"Sure, if you can handle it."

She began to kiss him again. Yeah today was gonna be great.


	8. lake shenanigans

Wolf and Fox walked through the valley. Wolf's arm wrapped protectively around Fox's waist, the valley was unusually quiet today. Hare, Cat, Donnie, and Squirrel were off in Marzipan taking a bit of a vacation. Skunk was busy all day training with Panda, and Rabbit had been stuck on patrol for the rest of the day. Crow was no where to be found when Wolf went to tell him he was taking today off all that was there was a note that told him to not eat breakfast in the morning and that he had an important mission for him tomorrow. This gave Wolf and Fox the perfect chance to be alone for the day.

"What do you want to do?" Wolf asked Fox a smile printed across his face.

"I don't know really, it's so quiet." She replied to him

"That's just the way I like it." He told her while pulling her into him and giving her a deep kiss.

She was surprised at first and put her hands up. She eventually eased into the kiss and threw her arms around his neck returning the kiss with equal ferocity. After a few minutes they were forced to break away for air. Wolf shook his head in surprise and looked at her.

"Jees that was intense. When did you learn to kiss like that?" He asked her.

All Fox did was smile and grab his hand.

"Come on let's go to the lake." She said excitedly and pulled him along.

They stopped on a small grassy hill that overlooked the large lake. The way the sun hit the water caused it to sparkle in a beautiful way.

"You think the water's cold?" Fox asked Wolf while sticking her toe in the water.

"Let's find out." Wolf replied with a mischievous tone in his voice.

With that Wolf gave Fox a shove and she fell into the water with a splash. She resurfaced in a second and shivered. She looked up to see Wolf soaring through the air landing in the water next to her with a splash. Fox giggled to herself and waited for him to reach the top of the water. After a minute or so she began to get worried. She frantically turned around in the water trying to locate him.

"Wolf…Wolf where are you!?" Fox screamed splashing frantically

She felt someone grab her by the waist and pull her backwards. With a start she cried out in fear and struggled to get free before she heard her captivator whisper something in her ear.

"Gotcha…" Wolf whispered into her ear.

She sighed as her fear subsided and she leaned back in his arms.

"Don't worry me like that."

Wolf laughed to himself a little.

"Sorry I couldn't resist." Wolf apologized

"Well don't do it again." Fox responded angrily.

"Oh come on I said I was sorry. I know what'll cheer you up." He said while gently licking the side of her neck.

Fox shivered while he did so. It was her soft spot and he knew it. Honestly she loved it when he toyed with her like this, but she wouldn't ever admit it.

"Wolf pleas don't…" Fox began.

She was cut off by a small jolt of pain as Wolf bit down with his teeth.

"Gnt truggle" Wolf attempted to say with his mouth full of fur.

"But OW stop biting me." Fox demanded as another shiver coursed through her body. She began to enjoy this even a little more than the licking.

"Nu gluve nit," Wolf attempted to say again.

She eventually gave in to the love bite and stopped resisting. He gave her one last pinch before he let go. Fox turned around and looked at him an angry look on her face.

"What was that for?"

"You know you loved it." He gave her a small smirk.

"Oh you little!" She grabbed Wolf's head and forced him under the water.

He was surprised by her sudden strength. He struggled and closed his eyes as the cold water rushed over his head. He eventually stopped splashing about and opened his eyes. He saw Fox staring back at him. She moved in and kissed him while submerged in water. She restored his oxygen with her own. They kissed under the water for what seemed like the longest time before she eventually let him up. They both rose up at the same time panting equally hard.

"Wow, now **that** was one of the most amazing things I think we've ever done." Wolf said in-between large breaths.

"Agreed," Was all Fox could choke out.

They both dragged themselves out of the water and sat on the grass. Wolf shook himself dry and lay on his back. Fox lay down next to him. He put his arms around her and felt how cold she was.

"You're freezing." Wolf said while pulling her a little closer.

"Not anymore." Fox said while moving in for his lips.

She kissed him one more time. They spent the whole day in each others arms at the lake. By the time the sun went down they were leaned against a large rock. The twilight causing the water to sparkle even more than before; Fox laid her head down on Wolf's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her. Together they gazed out at the beauty of the sunset.

"I love you Wolf." Fox said while easing into his soft fur and closing her eyes.

"I love you to Fox." Wolf replied and kissed her one more time on the top of the head.

Together they fell asleep in that position. Warmed by each others love.


	9. slave rescue

Wolf pulled his jacket around him as he climbed up the mountain. The cold winter air chilling him down to the bone, he gripped the rock in front of him as tight as he could as the wind kicked up threatening to make him fall. Why Crow wanted to meet him so far up into enemy territory was beyond him but he had to do it. He put his foot on a small rock jutting out of the side of the mountain. He was almost there; he reached up to grab the last ledge. It was just a couple of inches out of his reach he leaned forward a little more. He barely touched the top he stretched his fingers a little farther. He was almost there; suddenly the rock he was standing on gave way. He fell backwards opening his mouth in surprise he flailed his arms and shut his eyes as tight as he possibly could suddenly he felt someone grab him. He opened his eyes and noticed how high up he actually was, he'd forgotten how deathly afraid of heights he was until now. All the color had drained from his face turning him a deathly pale, his stomach churned and he felt like he might puke. He was glad he'd taken Crows advice and not eaten any breakfast. He looked up to notice Crow was gripping his forearm with both hands and struggling to pull him up.

After a few minutes Crow brought him over the edge. Wolf lay on his hands and knees gripping his chest with his left arm and breathing heavily. His heart threatened to leap out of his chest. He looked over to Crow who was massaging his aching joints with a grimace.

"Don't ever" Wolf swallowed hard "make me do that again." His heart had finally started to calm down.

"Oh shut up you sissy. I need you to see something." Crow told him while standing up and began walking down the hill.

Wolf followed shortly afterward. They walked for what seemed like hours before Crow stopped abruptly, he held up his hand signaling Wolf to stop. He ran back and pulled Wolf into the small brush and forced him to lie down. Wolf spit out a leaf before opening his mouth to speak Crow shushed him by clasping his hand over his mouth. They both peered through the leaves of the brush and watched silently as a ninja monkey patrol came clunking by rather noisily. They both waited until the troop passed and neither of them could hear the clunking of their armor. Crow lifted his hand off of Wolf's mouth and walked out of the brush he looked both directions before signaling for Wolf to come out. Wolf kicked off a resistant branch that had gotten stuck on one of his shoelaces before turning around and yelling at Crow.

"Okay what in the world are we doing this deep into enemy territory?" Wolf said anger in his voice.

Crow whipped around.

"I brought you up here for two things. One you're here to get to know you're enemy; you can't fight them if you don't even know what they look like. The second reason is to see what will happen if you fail to stop them." Crow told him rather coolly.

"And what will happen if I fail?" Wolf asked.

"You'll see, now come on." Crow motioned with his hand for Wolf to follow.

Crow and Wolf walked until they came to small cliff that hung out right above the ninja monkeys' camp. Wolf could hear loud cracks that seemed to come from a whip followed by a cry of pain come from the camp. They climbed up the cliff and lay down as to not be seen by anyone. Wolf reluctantly peered over the edge and watched in horror as he saw both men women and children being forced to work in grueling conditions. They were set up in a long line and with pick-axe in hand hammered on the side of the mountain. Whenever someone even stopped for a second to catch their breath they would be whipped several times by a ninja monkey and forced back to work. Every one of them was shackled to a small metal pole sticking out of the ground. Wolf dug his nails into his hands. He wanted to make each and every one of those slave drivers suffer a horrible end. He reached for his sword that was hung off his jean belt. He felt Crow put a hand on his shoulder.

"Not yet boy, we have to wait a little longer." Crow told him a stern look on his face.

Wolf reluctantly moved his hand away from his sword. After a few minutes three dark figures emerged from a large tent that sat in the middle of the camp. Wolf recognized them from the dream he'd had ages ago. He remembered that menacing stare from the snake, the crazed look from the female tiger. A look filled with anger and madness. And he could remember the ominous presence of the man clad in armor, whenever Wolf looked at this man a feeling of dread and fear gripped him threatening to swallow him up in a pit of darkness. He listened as Crow described each and every one of his enemies.

"The snake is named Viper he's the leader of the group and you're greatest enemy. You will face him one day. He's the one that's responsible for you're ancestor's death. You always wondered who killed you're mother right? Well you've found him. He's very skilled in the dark arts of magic if you were to face him now it would only mean you're doom."

"He's the one who killed my mother?" Wolf asked in dismay.

"Yes he killed her trying to find you. He was not interested in you're other siblings for they didn't carry the same power you do she died defending you."

With that a new fire of hatred burned inside of Wolf. He'd found his mothers killer after all this time. Oh yes he would avenge every last drop of blood she had shed for him.

"The next one is that armored fellow. I don't know much about him but I do know he's very well trained with a blade. He's even better than me. The last one they call Fang she's crazy, I've seen her wipe out entire towns just for fun. She also knows black magic. If you meet any one of them during you're training you run you hear me, you don't stand a chance against any of them at you're current state."

Wolf didn't respond he was busy locating the sound of commotion going on near the left side of the camp. Soon afterwards a couple of ninja monkeys dragged a prisoner out of a tent and threw him in front of Viper's feet. Wolf saw the man look up with pure hatred on his face. It was strange his face looked familiar but with the small beard Wolf couldn't recognize him. He heard Viper hiss out some words to this man.

"My solders here tell me you are refusing to work."

The man stood up and looked directly into Viper's evil red eyes without fear before he spoke.

"I'm no ones slave you piece of sh**" The man spoke defiantly before getting backhanded by Viper's clawed hand.

Wolf knew who this man was now he could tell it was his old war buddy Michael.

"You will pay for being so defiant." Viper hissed angrily.

"Execute him." Viper told the guards before walking off.

"Fang why don't you stay and oversee things, make sure no one interferes."

"Oh goodie I haven't seen anyone die in a long time this'll be fun." Fang jumped up and down clapping her hands.

Two ninja monkeys held Michael down while another grabbed an axe off the ground and walked over to him. Wolf watched in anger as Michael's executioner sharpened the axe in front of him. Wolf drew his sword from its sheath and prepared to jump down into the camp and rescue his friend. He heard Crow yell at him.

"Did you hear a word I said boy you can't handle all of them its suicide."

"We have to do something or they'll kill him."

"Right now we don't have much of a choice!" Crow scolded.

Wolf looked back at his friend. Michael's executioner had raised the axe above his head and was preparing to lop off Michael's. Wolf had to do something now or it would be too late. He stood and threw his sword as hard as he could at the ninja monkey. With amazing precision it struck his target in the back causing him to drop the axe inches in front of Michaels face before he slumped to the ground. While his enemies were still surprised Wolf jumped off of the cliff and landed on top of the executioner's lifeless body. He ripped the sword out of his back and lunged at the two monkeys holding Michael down. With two quick swipes they both met their end. Michael looked up to see who his savior was.

"W…Wolf that you?" Michael couldn't believe his eyes.

"You know it." Wolf replied while helping Michael to his feet with a smile.

He turned around at the sound of someone clapping their hands. He saw none other than Fang. She had a mocking smile and her voice was filled with sarcasm when she spoke.

"Would you look at that I'm impressed. Our little hero knows a few tricks does he?" She stopped clapping her hands and looked at him.

"Maybe he would like to demonstrate his skills. That is unless you're afraid." Fang taunted Wolf.

"What did you say?" Wolf snarled at her anger written across his face.

"Uh oh is doggie getting angry? You'll be a nice addition to all my other pets."

"Michael free the slaves I'll handle her." Wolf ordered Michael over his shoulder.

"You sure you don't need my help?" Michael asked.

"You can help me by freeing those slaves and making sure they get home. Now go!" Wolf ordered.

Michael reluctantly turned around and went to aid the slaves. He used a pickaxe to smash the chains and herded everyone to the entrance of the camp. While everyone else ran as fast as they could to get out of there Michael lingered and watched the fight. Eager to help Wolf if he needed it;

Wolf and Fang circled each other. Fang gave him a menacing stare as she put on her gloves. Wolf guessed that the gloves were going to be her weapon of choice she pressed down on the gloves five large claws extended out of her fingers. Fang made the first move charging him as fast as she could making quick swipes. He ducked the first swipe and dodged the second. He lifted up his sword and parried her third strike, he moved in while she stumbled and swung downward as hard as he could. With surprising strength she caught the sword in her hand and held it in place above her head. She ripped the sword out of his hands and threw it across the camp. During his surprise she grabbed him by the throat with her right hand and stabbed him in the stomach with the other. Wolf cried out in pain as the claws slid inside. She lazily tossed him aside. He lay on his back blood seeping out onto the cold stone he lay on. His eyes got blurry he quickly held out his hand and concentrated as hard as he could to make the energy take form in his hand. A few seconds later it appeared that familiar ball of energy had become his best friend during his training he'd learned how to summon it a long time ago. He pressed it against his stomach and watched as the hole in his stomach sewed itself together.

"Oh you are full of surprises aren't you?" Fang chided. "Let's see you heal when I cut off you're head."

She ran at him again and stabbed downward. Wolf quickly back rolled out of the way and responded with a hard uppercut. He smiled as the he felt his fist connect with the bottom of her jaw.

"Oh my you really are something. I haven't had a good fight like this in ages. But let's see how well you fare against this."

She stepped back and held her hands outward. Wolf looked around in astonishment as barrels swords axes and spears lifted off of the ground and pointed towards him. He heard her laugh as an axe came flying his way. Wolf jumped out of the way as it went soaring past him. He kept dodging the flying weaponry until a dagger came flying past and sliced his knee open. He fell on his knees with exhaustion he couldn't keep this up much longer, he needed his sword. As if that was his cue Wolf heard Michael call out his name. He turned his head to see his friend holding his sword.

"Wolf catch" Michael yelled while throwing the sword to him.

Wolf caught the sword in one hand and stood up. Now he could at least defend himself another spear came hurling itself at him, he quickly knocked it out of the way. Now he knocked the weapons out of the air. When the last of the flying objects hit the ground Wolf stood there panting heavily and trying to get the blood out of his right eye from a small cut right above his eye.

"Not to shabby pup. But you're starting to bore me its time I finish you off." Fang told him.

With that electricity shot out of her hands nailing Wolf in the chest. The lightning knocked him backwards. Wolf twitched as the electricity finished coursing through his body. Wolf heard Fang laugh as she shot another continual stream of electricity into him. He screamed as the electricity coursed through his veins. Then the pain suddenly stopped. Wolf looked up to see Crow blocking the Fang's electricity with his own.

"Wolf get out of here now!" Crow yelled at him over his shoulder.

"But Master!" Wolf tried to yell back.

"I said now!" Crow yelled while pointing his index finger at him.

Suddenly there was a bright flash and Wolf opened his eyes to notice he was about a mile away from his home. Wolf saw another flash above him and Michael came crashing down onto Wolf.

"Whoa that was trippy; at least the landing was soft." He heard Michael say rather smugly.

"Ugh get off me you big lummox." Wolf ordered him.

Michael moved off of Wolf and stood up Wolf did the same.

"Okay you're going to explain everything that's going on right now." Michael told him.

"Fine, it's a long story I'll tell you on the way come on."

During their trip back to the valley Wolf explained everything to Michael. The prophecy he's supposed to fulfill, he told him about the cave and even how he ended up in the Valley.

"So you're telling me that you're supposed to rid the world of this great evil or the whole planet will be enslaved?" Michael inquired with a puzzled look on his face.

"That's pretty much it."

"Jees no pressure or anything;"

Wolf chuckled at Michaels little joke. As they walked on Wolf started to feel worse and worse. His stomach pained him and he felt like he had a fever, His vision started to get blurry. He looked around starting to forget where exactly he was. He heard Michael call his name before he let unconsciousness take him.

Michael dragged him into the valley. After explaining who he was and what was wrong with Wolf they allowed him to come in and look after Wolf's unconscious body. Fox and Michael laid him down on his bed. Michael put a hand on his forehead.

"His temperatures rising, we have to do something soon or I don't know how much longer he'll last."

"What could do this to him?" Fox asked worry written across her face.

"It must have been something on that girl's claw when she stabbed him, poison or something like that."

"Where's Squirrel when you need her?" Fox sighed.

"Well I'm no doctor but I'll do what I can." Michael reassured her.

After a few hours of treatment Michael sighed and stopped working on him.

"He's stabilized, that's all I can do. The rest is up to him." Michael stood up and prepared to leave the room.

"Thanks for doing this Michael." He heard Wolf's sister Rose speak up.

"Anytime Rose, if you're ever in New York be sure to hit me up."

"I will thanks again."

With that Michael took his leave. Rose and Fox sat at the foot of Wolf's bed watching over him. They were both sitting in a rather awkward silence until Fox spoke up.

"Do you think he's going to be okay?" Fox blurted out.

Rose looked at her and saw the worry on her face. Rose put a hand on her shoulder before she spoke.

"Listen Fox my brothers a pretty tough guy, no matter what happens he always pulls through. A little thing like this wont put him down." Rose reassured her.

"I suppose you're right. I just worry about him is all."

"Don't worry about him. So long as you're here he won't give up."

The day wore on and soon the sun sank behind the hills. Rose had gone to bed but Fox was still sitting in her chair waiting for Wolf to so much as stir. She felt her eyes getting heavy every time she blinked it seemed to be longer and longer before she opened her eyes again until she didn't open her eyes at all. Soon afterward Wolf finally woke. He scratched his head in an attempt to remember the past events. He remembered everything until he passed out. Then he thought about Crow did he show up afterward. Was he still there is he okay. Wolf thought about all of these things. Right now he didn't have much of a choice but to get his information tomorrow. He sat up that's when he noticed Fox slumped over in a chair fast asleep. He wondered how long she'd been there. He quietly climbed out of bed and gently picked her up. He was surprised by how light she was. This made carrying her back into her den a breeze. He gently as he could set her down in her bed and tucked her in, she lay on her side and rested her head on her pillow. Wolf climbed in beside her.

He soon gave up trying to sleep and settled for watching Fox sleep instead. He loved watching her sleep, she always looked so peaceful. He lightly stroked the side of her face and laughed softly as she smiled when he touched her. He eventually stopped stroking her and fell into a quiet sleep himself.


	10. Halloween Party

Wolf Awoke to the feeling of the cool October air blowing on his face, he looked over to see that the front door to his cave was wide open. He forced himself out of bed and looked at the calendar to the right of his bed. His eyes widened as he realized what day it was, it was Halloween. He'd never really liked Halloween but Squirrel had convinced Panda to allow the valley to spend the night at Mung Dall's. He got up as fast as he could; and practically ripped off his closet door. He suddenly felt a sharp pain run through his head, just as soon as it started it went away. Wolf didn't stop to think about the pain he pulled on a white T shirt and his jacket. He looked in the bottom shelf for his gloves. He found them lying on top of Rose's makeup kit. He heard them snap as they stretched tightly over his hands, he bent down to look under his bed until he found what he was looking for. He reached and grabbed the hilt of his sword and fastened it to his belt. He quickly walked outside and looked around another shot of pain coursed through his head, this time he could have sworn he heard some words but couldn't make them out.

"It's about time you woke up lazy ass." He heard a familiar voice tell him.

He whipped around to see Rose standing with her arms crossed in the doorway. He looked at her while rubbing his aching head.

"Yeah Crow had me working all night last night. But anyway we should get to Mung's or we'll be late."

"Nah I think I'm going to stay here. Parties are not really my thing. And besides I have a gift for you when you get back." She said to him with a smile.

"A gift you say?" He returned the smile

"You'll see when you get back. Now hurry or you're going to be late." She told him while walking back inside they're cave.

Wolf didn't really have much time to question her so he ran off to Squirrel's teleporter. He stopped right in front of them panting rather hard as he came to his stop.

"There you are. I almost thought you weren't coming." Squirrel told him while turning on the teleporter.

Everybody else was already waiting to get inside eager to get to the party. They all went in single file Wolf stood next to Fox as a bright flash signaled that the teleport was successful. Fox was getting a bit jittery as it came closer and closer to her turn. She leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"I don't really think I want to use this thing. It kind of scares me." Wolf heard her whisper.

"Don't worry I've gone through it before and I was fine." He attempted to reassure her

"I don't know I just have a bad feeling."

"What if I go through with you?"

She put her head on his shoulder and grabbed his hand.

"With you here I can do anything."

They walked up to the teleporter a bright flash sent them to the front of Mung Dall's home. Fox stumbled a bit as she walked in the door and sat down on the couch. Wolf walked in his head hurting even worse than before. Everyone had a good time there was music and food and even games for the kids. Soon the night wore on and after supper everyone began to calm down a bit. Chowder, Cat, and Hare had settled in front of the TV, Squirrel was leaning in her boyfriend's arms. Rabbit was eyeing Fox and Wolf from across the room with envious eyes. Wolf noticed his menacing stare but didn't really care his head pained him immensely. Fox put a hand on his shoulder.

"Wolf are you okay?" She asked him.

Wolf rubbed his head before he spoke.

"Uh…yeah, just wish Rabbit would stop giving me the eye is all."

Fox looked at Wolf and gave him a devious smile.

"You want to make him really angry?"

"Rabbit, angry, why not."

"Alright now close you're eyes."

Wolf did as he was told and shut his eyes. When he felt her pull him in close and shove her tongue in his mouth. The look on both Wolf's and Rabbit's face were priceless. Rabbit got so flustered he kicked in the door to the other room and marched outside. Fox didn't stop there; Fox forced him on his back as they lay sprawled across the couch. Their little French stunt had caught the eyes of everybody in the room. Wolf eventually eased into the kiss; he knew they were all watching. But he didn't really care anymore. Both Squirrel and Donny had surprise written across their face. Sure they kissed like that but never in front of so many people. Cat looked like she was going to throw up right on the floor, Hare kind of thought it was cute and half smiled, Chowder scratched the top of his head in confusion completely oblivious to what exactly they were doing. Mung had poked his head out of the kitchen just in time to catch a glimpse of the incident.

"Mung why did they…." Chowder began to ask.

"When you're older!" Mung yelled while he rushed to clasp his hand over Chowder's eyes.

He rushed Chowder out of the room and shut the door behind him. Fox finally broke away from the kiss.

"How about we continue this upstairs?" Fox asked.

All Wolf could do was nod. She grabbed him by the hand and led him upstairs. Leaving the others still frozen in surprise, Wolf's head still hurt but he wasn't about to refuse this offer.

"Well I didn't see that one coming." Donny said to Squirrel.

All she did was nod in agreement as Cat ran off to the bathroom; the sound of her puking could be heard on the other side of the door.

Fox lay in the comfortable bed. She'd fallen asleep after there ahem "Relations". Wolf however sat on the edge of the bed. His head felt like it was going to rip apart. This time he heard the voice from before clearly.

"_Go to the balcony."_ The strange voice commanded.

There was no mistaking it Wolf had heard it. He stood up and pulled the covers up to Fox's shoulders and kissed her before he left. He walked down the hallway and turned the corner around the balcony. He pushed the curtain aside as he walked on the platform. The cool air chilling his fur, he turned to the left and noticed the familiar armored shape of the man Crow had told him about two weeks ago. Wolf reached for his sword. With blinding speed the man seized him by the throat and held him against the wall.

"Listen to me." The deep voice said muffled by the horned helmet.

"Rose is in trouble and you need to save her."

"How do you know my sister?" Wolf asked the man while still clutching at his fingers wrapped around his throat.

"No time for that now. If you don't help her she will die. I don't have anymore time to spare. Make you're choice."

And like that the man disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. Wolf looked around trying to find where he went.

"What the…."


	11. burning

Squirrel awoke from her sleep with a start. The sound of a door being slammed and someone noisily running down the long hallway next to her bedroom causing her to drowsily get up and open her door to see what the noise was, she looked out to catch a glimpse of Wolf making his way down the stairs.

"Wolf where do you think you're going?" She called after him.

Her question gained no response, while he continued down the stairs. Squirrel decided to go after him. He opened the front door to Mung Dall's home and made his way outside, Squirrel saw a bright flash signaling that her teleporter had gone off. She called for Donnie and soon he was down the stairs and standing next to his girlfriend. He let out a yawn before he spoke.

"Squirrel what is it? It's four in the morning." He said with half closed eyes.

"It's Wolf he went back to the valley for some reason. I think something is wrong."

"It's probably nothing you should go back to bed."

"No Donnie we should just make sure. He looked worried."

"Alright....alright well go."

Together they made their way outside and into the teleporter. Once the blinding flash was over Squirrel's mouth dropped open in horror…her home… the valley….was burning; the sound of the crazed ninja monkeys whooping and hollering as they set fire to everyone's home would be permanently etched into her mind for the rest of her life. She dropped down to her knees as the villains burnt down her home tears filling her eyes. The worst part was knowing that she could do absolutely nothing to stop them. Donnie's touch being the only warm thing she could remember in that cold moment.

Wolf ran past the burning trees as fast as he possibly could. He had to find his sister he didn't know where she was but he couldn't handle losing her to. Not after what happened to his brother. He made a promise to keep her safe and nothing would stop him from keeping it. Not fire, not an army of evil, nothing would save them from his wrath. He picked up the pace running so fast that he looked only like a gray blur to any who saw him. He turned the corner making his way to his home. His eyes were watering the smoke from the raging inferno making the air a thick black that stung his lungs and eyes. He kicked in the crumbling door to his cave and drew his sword. Startling the ninja monkeys looting the inside of his home. One of them made a mad dash at him swinging his sword wildly. He parried the blade to the side and stabbed the enemy in lower part of his thigh bringing him to his knees. Using amazing fluency he twirled the blade around and stabbed him in the back. He pointed the bloodstained blade at the other two. Daring them to make a move, as soon as they went to attack he used amazing speed to finish them off. Neither of them saw it coming. Wolf sheathed the sword and looked around for any clue of where his sister might be. He saw a crumpled piece of paper lying on the ground; he did his best to smooth it out the bottom right corner was burnt.

_Brother if you're reading this you will probably find me out in the fields. I have you're gift with me; it's something I know you'll like._

The note ended_ the fields I hope you're safe sis._ Wolf thought to himself. He ran off as fast as he possibly could.

Squirrel and Donnie slowly made their way to Wolf's home. They were still trying to find him. Donnie's arm was protectively wrapped around Squirrels waist. It was the only comfort she had right now. They turned the corner and walked inside not expecting the sight before them. They both stood in horror at the grisly scene. Needles to say Squirrel had never seen death before. And the fact that the first dead people she had seen were horribly mutilated didn't help.

"Did Wolf do this to them?" Squirrel said more to herself than anyone else.

Donnie couldn't give a reply instead he pulled her into him shielding her from the awful sight.

Wolf stopped a few feet in front of where his sister was standing. He smiled as she turned around. He took a few steps closer to her before a circle of flames suddenly shot out of the ground.

"What the hell!?" Wolf asked as he stepped backward shielding his face from the heat.

Rose was looking on in fear not exactly sure what was happening. Wolf then saw a figure appear behind her. He could tell it was the feline from about three weeks ago. For a moment everything seemed to slow down. He saw the glint of steel from her hand. Wolf let out a cry as he saw the icy claw slice into his sister's heart. He looked on in horror as his sister slumped to the ground her own crimson red blood creating a puddle where she lay. The cat disappeared an evil smile written across her face. The fire seemed to evaporate into the sky with her. Wolf ran over and threw his sword on the ground while holding his sister in his arms. The tears were already running down his face. He pressed a hand on her wound. Trying to halt the growth of the growing red monster, his sister looked up at him through blurry eyes.

"W…Wolf," She choked out his name.

"Rose don't talk you need to save you're energy."

"I…I have something for you."

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small locket. She put it in his hand.

"You always wanted to know what mom looked like right. Well Josh gave this to me for my birthday." She coughed up a little blood before speaking again.

"I want you to have it."

Wolf opened the locket. On the left side was a picture of his beautiful mother. And on the right was his sister. He could see the resemblance of the two clearly. He felt more tears coming to his eyes before his sister spoke one final time.

"Do you think I'm going to see mom and Josh again?"

"Yeah…and you can spend as much time as you want with them."

He heard his sister sigh like she was letting out that last bit of life she had in her. He felt her go limp. He pulled her in a little closer and softly stroked the back of her neck as he cried.


	12. imprisonment

Squirrel awoke inside of a rusty cell. She lay on the dirty floor trying to place where exactly she was. She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, now she remembered the ninja monkeys had taken over the valley while they were away at her Halloween party. She could still see the grisly images. The fire, the destruction, the death, she looked around to notice they were sitting inside of a large tent. A guard was eyeing her with a rather nasty stare. A stare that showed more than just lust, a sudden realization hit her. She couldn't find Donnie. She looked around the tent trying to find him. She noticed someone sitting in the shadows in the corner, the persons face was obscured by the darkness, he held a locket firmly clutched in his right hand. His arm was splattered in blood. Squirrel leaned down to try and talk with this man.

"Hey are you okay?" Her question gained no answer from the man.

She got a little closer and extended her hand. The man clutched her hand with amazing strength.

"Don't worry it's not my blood."

Squirrel could place the voice as Wolf's.

"What then whose is it?"

Wolf let go of her hand, it was a long time before he spoke. Squirrel thought she saw a single tear drip down his face.

"My sisters…. That bit*h killed her." He looked up pure agony on his face. His eyes bloodshot, the fur on his face was wet. She could tell he must have been crying for quite some time.

"Wolf…I'm so sorry, but listen I need you're help to get out of here."

"What's the point? I have nothing left, my whole families dead. Rose was all I had left; first my brother then my sister I can't take anymore of this; I might as well let them kill me." He put his head back down.

Squirrel's face softened a little as she put her hands on Wolf's shoulders.

"That's not true, you still have Fox. And if you want to keep her safe you need to help me."

Wolf looked up at her as if in deep thought. He sighed and then got to his feet.

"You're right; I have a duty to keep her safe." He clutched the locket his sister gave him. "I won't lose her like I did my sister, this I swear."

Squirrel got to her feet she had a small smile on her face.

"That's more like it. Now what's the plan?"

"I need you to distract the guard, bring him over to you."

"How am I going to do that?"

Wolf looked at the guard that was eyeing them curiously. He hushed his voice a little bit.

"You're an attractive woman, think of something." Wolf whispered before walking over and gripping the bars of the cell.

Squirrel thought for a minute before coming up with an idea. She swayed over to the other side of the cell, doing her best to catch the guard's attention. She whipped out her little pocket mirror and pretended to apply makeup before letting it slip out of her hand.

"Oh dear, what am I going to do now?" She let out a fake gasp.

The security guard noticed this and practically leapt out of his chair. He rushed over to come to the aid of his damsel in distress. The moment he passed Wolf a strong arm wrapped around his throat threatening to snap his neck in two. Squirrel stood wide eyed as Wolf strangled the life out of him. The guard's struggle eventually began to subside as his strength faded away. The body went limp Squirrel shut her eyes as tight as she could until she heard the struggle stop. She dared to peek out to see Wolf working on the lock. Her eyes wandered to the body lying against the bars.

"Is…is he dead?" Squirrel hesitantly asked while swallowing a lump in her throat.

Wolf decided it was best not to answer. She didn't ask again. Wolf gave the lock one last jimmy before it swung open.

"There we go, come on we need to get out of here."

"Wait what about Donnie? We can't just leave him here."

"Alright we'll go look for him; he has to be around here somewhere."

Wolf bent down and picked a dagger out of the pocket of the lifeless guard. He handed it to Squirrel.

"Look I know you don't want to kill anyone, but if it comes down to it I don't want you to hesitate."

She reluctantly took it from him. The deadly blade feeling odd compared to her non lethal staff she tended to fight with. Wolf walked over to a chest his sword placed delicately inside. He tied the hilt to his belt and drew the sword. Squirrel looked at his shining peace of metal and back down at her dagger, feeling slightly cheated. They snuck around the camp, the fires had long since been extinguished and the ninja monkeys had set up a camp around the area. Wolf and Squirrel had successfully avoided any confrontation. They came to a large tent; they could see another cage inside. Wolf pulled Squirrel around the corner and whispered in her ear.

"Alright they might have Donnie in there. I'm going in first you need to wait here okay."

"But''

"This isn't up for debate. If I don't come out in ten minutes I want you to check things out. But don't come in if it's dangerous."

"Fine, but don't take to long."

Wolf nodded and snuck off. He peeked into the tent. It was dark inside he couldn't see much. He opened the flap to the tent and slowly made his way inside. He could see Donnie sitting on a small bench inside of the cage. Wolf snuck to the door and began working on the lock. Donnie heard the noise and sat up.

"Who's there?"

"It's me Wolf hang on I'll have you out in a second."

"Oh Wolf, where's Squirrel, is she alright?"

"She's outside waiting, I just need to get this lock und-''

Wolf couldn't finish that sentence. A ninja monkey that was lurking in the shadows suddenly attacked him. Getting the drop on him it tackled and barreled him over. The attacker stomped on his stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs. Wolf gasped for breath; the enemy kicked his sword out of his hand and continued beating on him. The monkey jumped on him and started pounding on his face. Wolf's vision blurred his body threatened to lose consciousness but he forced himself to stay awake. Suddenly the beatings stopped a small amount of blood spilled out on Wolf's shirt. A tiny piece of metal protruded out of his chest. The body slumped to the ground. Wolf sat up to see a wide eyed Squirrel standing over him. She slumped to the ground not believing what she had just done. Donnie was sitting next to her Wolf had turned out to have loosened the lock enough to let him bash it open.

"I…I killed a living thing." Squirrel mumbled to herself, she buried her face in Donateloe's arms. Tears already streaking down her face,

"Don you need to get her out of here. The Monkeys are sure to of heard the commotion, I'll give you time to escape just hurry."

Don nodded and helped Squirrel out of the tent. As soon as they left he ran as fast as he could to the center of camp. Trying to keep the heat off of those two, in no time the ninja monkeys surrounded him. There had to be at least twenty. He ripped and slashed and hacked his way through them. He felt like he blacked out. He had a gash on his shoulder and a stab wound in his side. He stood panting heavily after the battle when he heard clapping from behind, he veered around.

"Nice job soldier."


	13. Showdown

"You!"

Wolf stood over the corpses of his fallen enemies. Their blood began to form a large circle around him. Fire raged behind him, the battle had been more destructive than he previously noticed. Fang stood in front of him, she wore an evil smirk as she licked her blood stained claws, and Wolf could tell from the scent whose blood it was. Rose, the memory of her death still hung over his head like a cloud of despair.

"How many is that you've killed now. Twenty, thirty perhaps, well lets see, there were the three in the cave, fifteen just now? Well that's how many I know of at least."

She let out a small chuckle before continuing.

"Hell you've killed so many of our soldiers I thought I would just return the favor." With this she burst out in laughter. The cloud of despair had now changed into a fire of anger. Wolf's grip tightened around his sword.

"You bastard, she was an innocent! She had nothing to do with this!"

Fang's laughter had begun to subside.

"You're angry is that it. You should be thanking me for what I did. After all she was the only thing that stood in the way of reaching your full potential. You may not realize it yet, but you have power that no other living being could possibly reach." She pointed a crooked finger at Wolf. "She did nothing but hold you back. This power, I've seen it before." She curled her finger back into her fist then waved it in the air. "If I were to take it for my own, I could kill both Viper and his pathetic lieutenant. All I need is for you to work with me."

Fang took two steps toward him; Wolf raised his sword in defiance.

"You pathetic wretch, what would ever make you think I would work with a murderer!" Wolf was unable to control the anger rising in his voice. "If you have any sense in that messed up head of yours, let me run you through right now and end this!" The thought of killing his sister's murderer excited him. Now he wanted nothing more than to see her die.

Fang smiled, "Tell me soldier, and are you not a murderer?"

"What…I never murdered any one?" Wolf picked up something in his own voice, was it…denial? No why would it be, he would never hurt an innocent….would he?

"Have you really forgotten that night in Afghanistan?"

The words burnt into Wolf's mind like searing hot acid. His mind flashed back to the war. For a time he relived that fateful battle. There was a gunfight near the outskirts of Afghanistan. His Squad was ambushed in the middle of the night; his enemies had used an innocent woman as a distraction to lead them away from camp. As soon as they were on the road she detonated some sort of bomb. After the fight he and one other squad member had her cornered in an alley. His squad member leveled his rifle to the woman's head.

"Wolf it's your call."

The woman looked at him; tears ran down her face she begged for his help in some strange language.

"Do what you want, my works done here."

As Wolf walked out of the dark alley the continuing sobbing of the woman was cut short by one fatal gun shot.

"See, you and I are no different." Fang was just a few inches away from his face now.

Wolf looked away, "That wasn't me, and I didn't kill her!"

"Oh no, you didn't but you let it happen." Fang leaned into his ear and lowered her voice to a menacing whisper. "Just like you let your sister die!"

"Shut the hell up!" Wolf exploded in rage.

He swung his sword as hard as he could at Fang's wretched face. She jumped out of the way with lightning speed!

"Fine if you really want to fight, I suppose I'll find a way to get your power." Fang paused and licked her claw again. With a menacing grin she spoke. "Maybe I'll just rip it out of you!"

She charged at him unleashing a flurry of blows and swipes. Her claws sliced through the air with a deadly whistle as Wolf moved just in time to dodge a cut to his jugular vain. Her claws clashed with his sword as they pitted their strength against each other.

"You know something?" Fang let out a purr. "Your sister's blood was nice and sweet. I wonder if yours will be just as good."

Wolf pushed her back and kicked her in the chest, this caused her to fly backwards and land on her back. The anger was close to over boiling. He could feel it now, it gave him strength….made him stronger. The urge to kill was overwhelming now. Wolf charged with blinding speed stabbing down at where Fang was laying. She disappeared with a cloud of black smoke, leaving Wolf's sword stuck in the dirt. She reappeared from behind and threw him away from his only weapon. Wolf lay on his back slightly dazed, Fang used this to her advantage she ran towards him. She stabbed down aiming for his heart.

Acting on pure instinct Wolf reached up with his unprotected hands, her claws sliced through them like butter. The blood poured out onto his face but her claws didn't reach their target. Using all his strength he held her claws in place.

"You can feel it can't you. The anger is making you stronger, but I can tell you aren't there yet. I guess I'll just push you a little more. Maybe when I'm done killing you I'll get that friend of yours. What's her name? Squirrel right, yeah I'll get her first."

"No you won't!" Wolf kicked her off of him. Despite the stinging in his hands he managed to throw a couple punches, the first missed by a mile, the next was a little closer but still not good enough.

Fang dodged quickly and easily, Wolf had left himself open, she made on quick swipe and made a deep cut across his forehead.

"Then I'll get that pathetic turtle she likes so much, yes….I'll kill him right in front of her, then while she's crying I'll cut her throat." She began an evil hysterical laughing.

"You'll never get a chance to touch them!" Wolf charged again, this time dodging to the right and headed for his sword.

Yanking it out of the ground he spun around and tried to strike while her back was turned. She ducked under his swing and made an exe type cut on his chest. Wolf could feel unconsciousness grabbing at his body. He stumbled, she grabbed him by the throat, and using strength he never expected her to have she picked him up. Holding him in the air she began to speak.

"Remarkable, I threatened your friends, I killed your sister, how are you still holding back?" Her voice became tainted with anger as her grip tightened around his throat. "What part of your pathetic body allows you to resist! You just won't show it to me. I want to see it! Give me a taste of what is rightfully mine!"

Fangs claws slipped inside his stomach. Once….twice….three times…..four…..five….six…. she wouldn't stop. Wolf couldn't feel the pain anymore. Yet he was aware that she hadn't stopped yet, his vision grew blurry his eyes wandered around the field. When he saw a familiar shape he couldn't make out. Red fur, green eyes, no she shouldn't be here! Wolf made an attempt to yell but couldn't find the words; the moment he tried he wished he hadn't.

Fang noticed his sudden movement, and turned her attention to the woman.

Fox stood her mouth wide in horror. Wolf was held limply in one hand like a rag doll as his blood seeped out onto the once green grass. He looked at her without actually seeing her. His eyes said one thing and one thing only, run run for your life! How she wished she could, but her legs stood rooted to the ground, unmovable. The woman was staring at Fox now. Her eyes filled with twisted enjoyment and anger. The woman was speaking now her voice cold and distant like ice.

"Oh, would you look at that. Looks like his girlfriends come to save the day." Fang purred just loud enough for Fox to hear. "Looks like you're a bit late, don't it?"

"Let him go." Fox tried to calm her quivering voice but to no avail.

"Oh you want him do you? Take him; he's of no more use to me." Fang lazily tossed him towards Fox's direction."

Fox sprinted towards him and kneeled down. The tears ran down her cheeks, no life was left in his body. She held him in her arms not ready to let go of her love. She could hear Fang approaching, but she didn't care. At this point living would serve no purpose.

"Looks like pretty boy here has left this world behind, we better make sure he has company." Fang raised a claw.

Fox knew this was it, yet she felt some sort of peace knowing she would be with Wolf in the afterlife. She heard the claw slice through the air when…..it stopped. Fox looked up through tear streaked eyes she saw the claw hovering just inches away from her face. Fangs claws were held in place by, Fox couldn't believe it Wolf had somehow regained life. His hand was clasped onto Fang's holding it in place.

Wolf pushed her back and stood up. Cracking his neck while wearing a sinister grin on his face, though Fox was overjoyed to see him alive, something wasn't right. Some strange aura surrounded Wolf. It was something far from good; she would go so far as to call it evil. It gave her a deep feeling of sorrow and foreboding. It felt as if all hope and happiness was bled away from the planet. For a moment she sat and wondered if this was even the same man, that's when she saw his eyes. Wolf turned and looked at her, his face giving no sign of any emotion whatsoever. His eyes were pure red, glowing even from this strange power inside of him. His eyes were so dark, so evil, so empty, all at once.

"Fox, I can only retain my sanity for a few moments, and right now I'm asking you to run. Get as far away from me as you can! Once the fighting begins I don't know what I might do to you." Wolf's voice started to change. It began to sound somewhat demonic.

Fox didn't know how she did it, but she managed to retreat away far enough to get away from the fight but still be able to view the action.

Wolf's sword flew into his hand by some unknown force. Wolf circled his enemy, like a predator stalking its prey. Wherever Wolf stepped the grass would die around him.

"So **this** is your true power. I must say I'm quite surprised, I can sense how much stronger it made you. It even healed your wounds. Now all that's left is to take it for myself."

Fang lashed out at him, every swing she threw missed by a mile. Wolf lazily dodged whenever she made a move. Each time she missed Wolf would return the strike with a quick sword slash, by the end of her last move she was covered in cuts from head to toe. She keeled over in pain as Wolf made a lightning quick slash across Fang's lower stomach. He gave a quick knee bash to her head and knocked her over. She coughed up some blood and looked at Wolf as he spoke.

"Not so fun when you're the one tasting your own blood is it?"

"Please just show mercy, I'll never come back I swear." Fang begged.

"Mercy, is that what you want?" Wolf queried, "Did you show my sister mercy?"

With that Wolf gripped Fang by the neck, lifting her up as if she possessed no weight at all. He rammed the blade into her; he quickly twisted and broke his sword in the middle of the blade. Leaving half of it protruding out of fang's body in a sickening way, Wolf let the body drop. Wolf stood over the body of his fallen victim. In an act of pure animalistic rage he looked into the sky and let out the most insane and foreboding howl ever heard.

"AWOOOOO!" Wolf finished his howl, panting as the power drained from his body.

Wolf collapsed to his knees, the weariness almost too much to handle. Wolf lost any sense of his surroundings, his only true awareness being the presence of Fox holding onto his shoulders. His eyes blurred and his ears rang, Fox eased him onto his back. He could hear her sobbing as if it was a distant echo; he reached up and stroked her face as if to say, "Don't cry." Then he lost consciousness.


	14. Chapter 14

Wolf felt as if he was floating in a haze. He mad a futile attempt to look around, when he opened his eyes he saw nothing but strange glimpses of light and the occasional jumbled up figure or shape.

"_Am I dead?"_ Wolf asked himself.

"_Not dead yet young one," a_ strange voice answered him. The voice sounded distant yet beautiful.

"_Who are you?"_ Wolf queried, hoping the voice would answer back.

"_I am everything yet nothing….strong yet weak…cold yet warm…distant yet close….I bring chaos yet order I am all of these things." The voice replied, seemingly closer this time. "I have watched you for some time little one. I keep you safe when in other times you would have been caused harm." _The voice drew even closer causing a strange stir of emotions to rise within Wolf.

"_Are you, my guardian angel?"_ Wolf said as he reached out toward the strange spirit.

"_In a sense young one, I am. I am a Keitsha, or protector. The last of my kind, I have aided you throughout your life."_

"_The last of your Kind, what happened to the rest of you?"_

"_The one you call viper has captured us from our world and harvested us for our power. We Keitsha are attracted to those with strong hearts and souls. Viper once was a decent being, he had the strongest of all hearts, yet his heart was corrupted. He then took his Keitsha and harvested her, giving him immortal life." _The spirit ended sadly.

"_That's…terrible," was_ all Wolf could say almost choking on his tears. Only a true monster could take a creature so beautiful and harvest it.

"_Shh young one, now you must rest. For your heart although powerful needs rest to deal with the hardships ahead. For now I shall leave but I give you a gift, perhaps it shall be just enough to help you conquer your enemies." _Wolf could see the ethereal being begin to disappear before him, He wanted to scream for it to stay but couldn't find the strength. He could feel himself being pulled away from this realm.

Wolf could feel the softness of a pillow behind his head. He reluctantly pried open his eyes, he could make out random shapes here and there, but most of it was just a random blur. He wasn't aware of much, just the fact that his upper part of his back under both his shoulders were in searing pain. After a few more blinks he could see his surroundings. He was in the room he and Fox had spent the night in when they were staying at Mung Dall's a while back. He was there alone, the sun setting outside of his window. He forced himself out of bed, despite the angry protests of his body.

Wolf limped up to the door and put his ear to it, still in his sneaky survival state for some odd reason. He could hear faint voices on the other side. His head was still cluttered but through a fair bit of concentration he could place the voices.

"I just want to see if he's okay." Wolf could hear Fox protest on the other side of the wooden door.

"You've been sitting in that room with him for four days, give him some time alone girl." Crow did his best to reason with her, clearly to no avail. As he could hear Fox slam her fist into the wall, feeling the vibrations of the collision from behind the door, Wolf had nearly forgotten that Fox could muster up some serious strength when she wanted. He half expected to step outside and see part of the building collapsed.

"Damn it old man! You've been keeping me at bay for too long, I want to see him! After what happened," Fox paused for a moment and stopped shouting "I want to make sure he doesn't change while I'm gone."

Crow noticed the sadness in her voice and tried his best to sound comforting.

"Listen, I know how it feels to care for someone as you do." Wolf could hear Crow take a couple of steps forward towards Fox. Perhaps to put his hand on her shoulder, it would be the most compassionate thing he'd ever seen Crow do. "But believe me when I say that I am only keeping him from you for your own safety."

"What do you mean?"

Crow let out a sigh before he spoke. "It's been four days, you have to come to terms with the fact that he just might not wake up." Crow's voice grew solemn.

Fox pushed his hand away. "Shut up! He can't die." Fox sniffed as tears began to form in her eyes. "He promised me he would never leave me." Wolf heard her collapse to her knees and begin to break down, repeating the same thing to herself over and over again. "He can't die…..he can't die."

Crow bent down to be at her eye level.

"I'm sorry, but you must face the facts. When he changed he used up so much of his strength that it's surprising he didn't die right there on the spot. He can't have more than an hour left of life in him."

When Fox heard this she burst into tears.

Wolf quietly opened his door and stepped into the hallway.

"Don't count me out yet old man." Wolf said in a dry and cracked voice.

Fox wiped the tears away, not sure if he was really standing there or if her mind was just playing a dirty trick on her. Once she was sure he was actually standing there, she ran towards him and clung on to his shirt. Nearly knocking him over as she pressed her muzzle into his fur. Despite the overwhelming happiness the tears didn't stop flowing, they spilled out onto his shirt. Fox could feel his strong hands brushing the back of her neck as he whispered into her ear.

"Shh don't cry, I'm alright, don't worry I'll never leave you." Wolf whispered, trying to calm her overflowing emotions.

Fox smiled as her love spoke calmly to her, yet the tears seemingly increased. Fox had never cried tears of joy before, but the feeling was amazing. Wolf cast one quick glance at Crow. Crow had that look on his face that said.

"We'll talk later."

Wolf looked into Fox's emerald eyes, showing the deepest love only thought imaginable. He led her into their room; they spent the time lying in bed together. Fox with her head resting on his chest as they lay in a wordless bundle under the thin blanket, when Fox decided to break the calm and peaceful quiet.

"Wolf, why did you leave without telling me?"

Needless to say the question caught Wolf completely off guard. He thought for a short while before he spoke, hoping what he said would not send Fox's emotions spiraling out of control again.

"I…just wanted to make sure you didn't get hurt." Wolf said quietly.

Fox shifted her body and looked at him with her beautiful round eyes. Wolf tried to read her expression, but found that her face was unreadable.

"You're lying," Fox said plainly.

"What, why do you think that," Wolf recoiled from her answer, his ears giving a slight twitch. This, as Fox knew meant that he was embarrassed.

"I said you're lying, I can read you like a book Wolf. Now I'll ask you again, why did you leave without telling me?"

Wolf swallowed hard, the last thing he wanted to do was upset her. But there was obviously no use in lying. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

"I guess…I honestly didn't want you in the way. If you were there I wouldn't have time to bail you out of trouble." Wolf forced the words out of his mouth.

Wolf braced himself; he didn't know how she would respond. Sadness maybe anger, he couldn't tell. Instead she laid her head back down on his chest and said only one thing.

"Thank you for being honest." Was all Fox mumbled.

Although Wolf was puzzled he decided not to ask why she wasn't angry.

Wolf eventually settled into an uneasy sleep.

Fox stood alone on the balcony that overlooked Marzipan city, the moon was shining brightly in the sky. She sat and pondered what Wolf said; perhaps she was just in the way. Maybe, if she hadn't called his attention away from home his sister could still be alive. She closed her eyes, and for the first time since they had met she contemplated leaving him. Then she almost hated him. She felt as if he didn't trust her to defend herself or others. Her anger slightly faded._ Maybe that's not what he means._ Fox thought to herself.

Fox could hear footsteps coming up from behind her. She sighed as Wolf stepped into the moonlight and leaned over the railing next to her.

"What are you doing out here?" Fox asked still looking out at the city.

"You know I don't sleep well." Wolf replied quietly. "Listen, about what I said."

"Save it, I know you don't trust me to protect myself." Fox said, avoiding his hurt gaze.

"How could you say that? Fox you're the most important thing I have, if I didn't trust you how could I even trust myself." Wolf tried to grab her but she just moved away.

"You said it yourself; I'm just in the way. You'd be better off without me."

"Fox…I couldn't bare to live without you. You're everything to me; you're all I have left. My brother, my sister, both of them gone, but I keep fighting. Do you know why?" Wolf asked, his gaze showing nothing but deep emotion.

"Humor me." Fox replied trying to sound angry, though she was nearly choking on tears.

"Because I have you, and nothing will ever change that. And even if you leave me right now I want you to know this. I will always keep fighting to keep you safe, because you are the world to me."

Fox didn't look at him, she couldn't look at him. The tears fell off the balcony, though Fox did her best to hide it.

"How do I know your being sincere about what you say?"

Wolf felt for his sister's small locket that hung around his neck. She'd had given it to him right before she died. Wolf walked Toward Fox and put the pendant around her neck. She looked up at him through tear strained eyes. After a few seconds she spoke.

"….Your sister's locket."

"It's all I have left to remember her by. And now I want you to have it."

The tears were coming harder now, Fox held the little heart shaped piece of metal in her hand. When she flung her arms around Wolf and broke down.

"I'm so sorry for what I said…please forgive me!" Fox managed to choke out.

Wolf didn't say anything but his strong hands stroking her back said it all.

"I know,"


	15. The Attack

Dragon cackled in an evil tone, his laughter echoing throughout the large cavern that served as his prison. The valley was now in his control, the valley animals forced to flee, a new army under his command, soon he would free himself from this prison and seek vengeance on those that forced him here. He stopped laughing as his new lieutenant Viper mad his way down the large jagged steps. The snake was accompanied by a troop of armed guards in full suits of armor and with their weapons drawn.

"Ah and here's my favorite lieutenant, if you have come to tell me of your victory you need not bother for I watched it from here. Say….what happened to your partner? You know the one with the armor?" Dragon said in his usual evil tone.

"He and I have had a bit of a falling out if you would like to call it that." Viper said with a smirk as his guards began to spread out and surround Dragon.

"I see…and why did you come here?" Dragon asked incredulously, as he eyed the soldiers spreading out around him.

Viper's smirk only grew wider, revealing his sharp rows of teeth that seemed to glow in the dim light of the cavern. The soldiers drove their swords into the dirt and began chanting.

"What's going on here Viper?!" Dragon screamed as large beams of light shot out of the ground, creating a cage around Dragon.

"Dragon you fool… I obviously used you; my plans no longer include you. So I figured I should get you out of the way. I couldn't just kill you and let all that wonderful power of yours just go to waste. So I figured I'd trap you and harvest it for myself." Viper explained calmly. Not even flinching as flame began to billow out of dragon's nostrils.

"You bastard, I'll kill each and every one of you for this!" Dragon shouted with such ferocity that it caused the mountains themselves to shake.

Dragon shot as much flame as he could in Vipers direction. But stood in dismay as all the fire was sucked into the beams of light.

"Oh please do try and struggle. The more of your power you use inside of this prison the more it absorbs. Have a nice stay." Viper chuckled as he turned to leave. Leaving Dragon in the dark to thrash and squirm in his prison.

Wolf awoke to the sound of running water in the bathroom down the hall. The sunlight peaked through the window; Wolf guessed it was still relatively early. He sat up slowly and carefully, partly due to the fact that his back was still in ungodly huge amounts of pain. And as to not disturb his partner Fox, he figured she deserved the rest. After all it isn't everyday you witness your loved one get killed, rise from the dead, and kill his killer. The recent events had left all of the valley animals disoriented and on edge. Their homes taken from them and turned into a haven for their enemies, he had heard both Master Splinter and Panda working on strategies. It seemed as if they weren't agreeing at all. It was the first time Wolf had heard either of them raise their voices. In fact the mood was affecting everyone; Skunk had become very quiet and was keeping to himself. Cat, Hare, and Raccoon had become even more rambunctious than normal. Cat was especially being bad, cursing under her breath and out loud on more than one occasion.

Crane as their caretaker was nearly cracking under the pressure to keep them under control. Rabbit was constantly shouting and Wolf caught him giving him the eye from time to time, the kind of look that said. "If I could id kill you right now."

Squirrel had shut herself up in her room and Wolf hadn't seen hide or hair of her for days. The only one who didn't seem affected at all by this was Crow. He was his usual calm self, showing no emotion whatsoever. Honestly it kind of ticked Wolf off, how could he be so calm after all that's happened. The fighting…the death…the chaos, he'd promised to explain what exactly happened to Wolf during the fight with Fang. He thought maybe the Keitsha; his own guardian angel might have had something to do with his sudden surge of power. But when he met her she was certainly not the same kind of energy.

He stumbled down the hall; the door to the bathroom was swung ajar as the sound of running water and quiet sobbing could be heard within. Squirrel stood within scrubbing her hands in warm water. She was practically clawing at her hands to try and get the feeling of the man she'd killed blood off.

"It won't come off…come off damn it!" She said to herself as she scrubbed at her hands. "Why won't it go away?" She was crying now.

Wolf had known the minute he'd given Squirrel the dagger that she wasn't ready to take another living things life. He stepped into the bathroom and moved to touch her shoulder.

"Squirrel…" He said as she looked at him.

"Wolf…I was just," Squirrel didn't finish. She just simply sat down on the small stool sitting in the middle of the bathroom.

As she did so a small bottle of pills fell on the floor. Wolf kneeled down and picked them up.

"You know these are bad for you right?" Wolf asked with concern.

"Yeah but….they calm me down. Without them, I can still see myself with his blood on my hands." She brushed back a strand of her golden hair that had fallen over her eye.

Wolf knelt down and placed a hand on her knee. She looked into his blue eyes, suddenly and without warning she bent over and began to cry.

"I can't do this anymore Wolf... I just can't. All this death, I'm sick of fighting this war. My home was stolen from me, my family forced to flee the only place they've known. I killed a man! I just can't fight anymore Wolf. I feel like my soul was ripped out of my body. Please...just make it all stop."

"Squirrel look at me." She did. "I WILL end this that I promise. But I need you to stay strong just a little longer okay. If not for me for Donnie and Skunk and all the others…. they need you right now."

Squirrel sniffed one last time and nodded in agreement. "You're right, I have to stay strong. But please, don't make us kill anyone."

Wolf nodded,

"Promise Wolf," Squirrel told him.

"I promise."

"Good and Wolf….thank you," Squirrel gave him a quick hug. "I think I'm going to run some experiments, I'm working on something I think you'll like. See if it helps keep my mind off things."

Wolf was making his way to the kitchen, the thought of food sounding rather desirable at the moment. When halfway there he was stopped by Crow.

"There you are boy. I've been looking for you; I need you to come with me. I also imagine that you want to ask a few questions as well."

"Your damn right I do!" Wolf blurted out. "What happened to me back there?"

Crow sighed and looked away for a second before he spoke. "Something I had hoped would never happen." He looked back at Wolf. "But listen, here is not the place we should discuss this. Come with me." Crow said under his breath.

"No way am I going anywhere until I get some answers."

"Oh you're coming with me, you don't have another option." Crow said coolly as he seized Wolf by the arm with crushing force.

Crow dragged Wolf down the hall, he didn't dare resist Crow's deadly grip. It felt as if Crow was going to wrench his arm off as he tugged him down the hall. Crow opened a large mahogany door leading to his bedroom and dragged Wolf inside. He bolted the door behind him and led Wolf to a room in the back.

"Sit!" Crow ordered while pointing to a chair sitting at the end of a small coffee table.

Wolf did as he was told, all the while rubbing his sore arm. He watched as Crow went into another room and returned with a small chest. He set the chest on the table and sat down across from Wolf.

"Wolf my boy, there's something I've been keeping from you. I mentioned your family was special didn't I?"

"Yeah…." Wolf struggled to remember Crow's whole lesson on his ancestors and him being the last one of his long line of descendants. "Something about being the last group of a long line of ancient warriors," Wolf said.

"Yes…this is why your family was killed. Viper knew you were the only one that possessed the power to stop him. Luckily you are still alive; remember when you stumbled into that cave and I said how your old ancestor became corrupt. I'm afraid part of his soul might have escaped and made its way into yours. I believe he was able to resurface for a brief time. Flooding your body with unimaginable strength,"

"So you're saying I have the soul of a mad man living inside of me. Well that just made my day. But what about my kietsha, maybe she had something to do with it." Wolf suggested.

Crow shook his head. "I highly doubt that those two even know of each others existence. But you told me last night that she said something about a gift. Any idea what it could be?"

Wolf suddenly felt another sharp stab of pain slash through his back. "No…not unless it involves breaking my back." Wolf grunted.

"Hm…strange, anyways enough with all of this talk, I have something for you. I believe it's something you'll like." Crow motioned to the chest on top of the table.

Standing up and moving towards the small box he unclasped a small latch that held it closed and looked inside. His jaw practically dropped as he gazed at its contents. He gingerly lifted out the golden pieces of thick metal that made up a brilliant suit of armor. The plates of steal themselves looked as if they were carved out of gold. They seemed to glow as the light from the small room danced off of them. The helmet was of the same color, with what looked like ancient symbols carved into the forehead piece. Two small slits were place on the top for him to fit his ears through. The chainmale under piece was light and flexible.

Wolf was so impressed with the armor he didn't notice Crow leave for a moment and return with what looked like the handle of a katana. Crow placed it in his hand, he looked at it quizzically.

"So uh, where's the rest of it?" He asked.

"Hit the bottom of the handle."

Wolf raised an eyebrow before doing so. Upon colliding with the palm of his hand the blade flung out with amazing speed. The blade was shining and surprisingly light. He twirled the sword in his hand and ran his finger across it. Just to recoil as it split his thumb open.

"Whoa, sharp," he said impressed before sucking the blood out of his thumb.

"Indeed, Squirrel whipped that up for you. Said she made it out of titanium I think. You don't even have to sharpen it, if you retract it after your done slicing up your enemy it should sharpen itself. To be honest….I'm quite impressed with it. Anyways every ones downstairs in the kitchen, so suit up and meet us outside."

"Suit up? You mean that you want me to put on this stuff?" Wolf asked surprised.

"Yes I do. I need you to get used to wearing all of that. And I'm sure you're eager to show it off anyway." Crow said before leaving.

_I don't want to show it off…okay maybe just a little._ Wolf said as he smiled to himself.

Fox made her way downstairs; the smell of breakfast had coaxed her out of bed a few minutes ago. Upon entering the large kitchen she noticed everybody was present. All except Panda, Master Splinter, and Wolf, .Mung Dall, Squirrel and Mrs. Duck stood over the stove preparing breakfast.

"Hello there dear. How are you feeling?" Fox heard Turtle say from across the room.

"I'm okay, just having a little trouble grasping all that's happened." Fox said sitting down at the large table.

"Aren't we all?" Mung chipped in on the conversation. "Don't worry though; you can all stay as long as you want."

"Breakfast should be ready in a minute everyone." Squirrel said over the sizzling of bacon.

"Does anyone know where Wolf is at?" Fox asked.

_Hopefully strung up in a tree, _Rabbit thought to himself. The mental picture certainly pleased him as a devilish smile crossed his lips.

"I think I heard him and Crow arguing in the back room a little while ago." Rafael told her. "Sounded important so I didn't listen to closely,"

"Okay breakfast is ready everyone." Squirrel called out.

The chefs all began distributing the food. As they all took their seats Cat made a disgusted face as she stared at the dish before her.

"Yuk! What is this crap?" She blurted out and flung the dish across the room.

"Cat show a little respect and clean that up!" Crane shouted, appalled at Cat's actions.

"Shut up. It's not like you're my mother!" Cat shot back.

"Why you-'' Crane began, but was interrupted as Truffles flew into the room,

"WHAT'S WITH ALL THE YELLING IN HERE?!" Truffles shouted as she entered the room.

The whole room grew quiet.

"Ahem, I hope I'm not interrupting anything in here."

The whole room turned to see Wolf in his new suit of armor. He made large clanking noises as he moved across the room. The armor made him look taller and stronger. It seemed to fit him perfectly, when he wore it he felt as if all the strength of his ancestors was coursing through his veins. It seemed to come to life and form perfectly for his body. Like a second skin and with the weight to match.

"Wow, when did you get that?" Fox asked, still gazing at the glorious metal.

"A little present from Crow, I guess he felt like he owed me something for constantly beating me to death during every training session." Wolf responded while giving her a hug. The armor seemed to make him a little more attractive as she looked into his eyes. For a moment it felt like it was just them in the room.

"How are you holding up?" Wolf asked as he brushed his hand across the side of her face.

"You mean after watching you die and get back up? I'm doing okay I guess. Just don't leave me alone again."

"I promise." Wolf gave her a soft kiss before they turned back to the rest of the group.

"Well it certainly seems sturdy." Leonardo said after swallowing a bite of French toast.

"I'll be the judge of that." Mikey said as he approached Wolf.

Wolf opened up his body as Mikey placed a punch in his chest. There was a loud crunch as the fist connected. Wolf didn't even flinch.

"OW! Yeah it's sturdy." He said while caressing his bruised hand.

Wolf turned to Squirrel, "I believe I have you to thank for this little piece of hardware." He said while holding up the retractable katana.

"Oh don't mention it. I just figured you needed something you could really depend on."

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud scream from outside. Wolf and fox rushed to the front door and swung it open. Ninja monkeys had begun spilling out of some strange portal. They were ransacking the town. Squirrel raced forward with them.

"What is it?" She asked in concern.

"Squirrel get everyone out of here now!" Wolf screamed as he drew his katana.

She didn't need to ask what the problem was. She immediately gathered everyone up and took them to the back of the house.

"Fox get out of here."

"I'm not letting you do this alone!" Fox shot back.

Wolf looked at her, and nodded. Knowing any attempt to argue would be futile.

"You get the guys on the left I'll handle the ones on the right." Wolf ordered.

"Gotcha,"

With that they both rushed off. The monkeys noticed Wolf almost instantly. They rushed him with their weapons drawn. One came at him striking downward. Wolf blocked the blow with ease and kicked the monkey's legs out from under him. Wolf finished him off with a quick stab downward; another was attempting to flank him from the side. As he swung Wolf saw his opportunity, twirling his blade around he stabbed backwards, the blade sliced through his enemy's armor and ribcage like butter. It was Wolf's turn to go on the offensive this time; he mustered up his strength and swung as hard as he could at his next attacker. Splitting his head from his shoulders in one quick strike, he turned around and killed another with a quick slash across the chest. Standing up and cracking his neck he turned to the others. Who were now being rather timid at the thought of fighting this seasoned warrior.

"Who's next?" Wolf asked mockingly. Pointing his sword at them in defiance.

Trying to overwhelm him by shear numbers they all charged at once. Wolf parried one, making him do a complete 180. This left his back exposed to Wolf who took full use of this advantage. He cut at an angle slicing through his enemy's back creating a decent sized blood spray that coated his sword. He saw the others coming and jumped in the air, he twirled around while in the air and swung his sword once before landing behind them. Both of their heads slid off as they tumbled to the ground.

He tried to stand back up but fell back down to his knees as his back screamed in pain. It felt as if someone was ripping his back open from the inside.

"Wolf!" Fox ran to his aid. "What's wrong?"

"AGH! It's my back! It feels like its being ripped open!" Wolf screamed out while he clawed at his back. The pain was nearly unbearable.

Fox stood in horror as something began to peek out of his back. They looked like….feathers. Wolf let out one last bloodcurdling howl as his shoulders split open. A pair of amazing black wings furled out of his back…He stood up gasping.

"Well I guess I found out what my kietsha's gift was."

"Wow, you get more and more interesting every day. Can you fly with them?" Fox asked in amazement. She brushed her hand against them, they were definably real.

"Look out!" Wolf warned while stepping in front of an arrow that was propelling itself at her. It bounced off of his armor harmlessly.

They both looked up to see what looked like a giant slab of stone floating through the air above the city. They were flying above buildings and setting fire to them as they went by.

"We're about to find out."


	16. Battle for Marzipan

Wolf stood next to Fox, they watched as Marzipan burned. Ninja Monkeys were ravaging the streets, looting, killing, and destroying. Wolf looked upward to see what looked like a giant slab of stone floating through the air. Every few moments it would shoot out a ray of light and more monkeys would appear seemingly out of nowhere. Just to join their friends in the chaos.

Wolf and Fox were doing their best to try and buy Squirrel enough time to escort the rest of the valley animals to safety. Wolf lodged his sword into the shoulder of an enemy and brought him down to his knees. He yanked the blade out of his flesh and kneed him in the face. He looked to the left just in time to see an ax soaring in his direction! He ducked just in the nick of time; he could hear the whistle of air the ax made as it soared just above his head! He quickly took a defensive stance as his enemy reeled around to strike at him again. He deflected the ax with his own blade every time the brute swung at him. He did his best to retaliate but found himself hitting nothing but thick plates of impenetrable armor. Forced to back away from his enemy he found himself backed into an alleyway!

Thoughts raced through Wolf's mind,_ this guy has to have a weak spot!"_ That's when it struck him; the back must be made of weaker armor than the front! The brute was so heavily outfitted that if he had anymore weight then he would more than likely not even be able to move. However getting to his back was another problem, the man stood at least eight feet high. And Wolf was boxed in; he didn't have enough room to maneuver. He ducked another swipe; the tip of the ax grazed the tips of his newly sprouted wings. Of course, he'd nearly forgotten that he had even sprouted them nearly ten minutes ago.

Moving as if he was born with them they gave one strong flap and sent him soaring into the air! Flipping forward with great agility he landed behind his opponent. He drove his sword into the soft spot of his armor before the brute could react. He was dead before he hit the ground. Wolf sped out of the alley to see if he could find Fox. She was walking toward him, a sword in her left hand. She must have scavenged it off the body of a fallen enemy. He approached her and gave her a warm embrace. He let her go and looked at her quizzically.

"When did you learn how to use a sword?"

"Well, I might have been watching you practice with Crow." She replied innocently.

Wolf gave a small chuckle. "I figured that was you lurking in the bushes."

She began to giggle herself when she yelped in pain and gripped her arm.

"What is it!? Are you okay!?" Wolf asked panicked, examining her arm.

"Jee, calm down Wolf. I might be a girl but I'm not made of glass. Just bashed it is all." She replied, rubbing the sore spot.

When Fox said that, he didn't really know why but…he was suddenly reminded of his sister. It seemed like something she would say. And the fact that Fox still had Rose's old locket wrapped around her neck didn't help. He pushed the thought away from his mind. She was dead now, but he would get vengeance. The death of Fang was nothing compared to what he planned on doing to Viper when he got his hands on him.

"Oh crap, I think it's bringing us some more friends." Fox's voice snapped Wolf back into reality.

Wolf looked up at the giant stone slab as it shot out another beam of light in front of them. One by one several ethereal Ninja Monkeys began to appear. Wolf gave one hard look at the stone slab. It seemed as if the light was always shooting out of the middle of the structure. He had something very special stowed away in a small pouch he kept tied to the belt of his armor.

"Fox, do you think you can handle these guys for a minute?" Wolf asked readying his sword.

"Yeah I could hold them off for about ten minutes. Why?" She asked holding up her own sword.

"Be back in five." He said with a smile as he kissed her quick on the forehead before taking off on his wings.

"Wait, you didn't tell me what you plan on doing!" She yelled after him.

He turned around and hovered in midair for a moment. "I'm gonna blow up that stony bastard!"

"You're insane!" She replied with a huff.

Wolf laughed loud enough for her to hear. "Good thing I am, or this would never work." He called to her before zooming off at incredible speed.

Squirrel and her family rushed through the back alleyways of Marzipan City. The cries of anguish and fear as the city's inhabitants were loaded into large steel boxes and carried off to only god knows where. She could see the large crowds of Ninja Monkeys sweeping over the city like a dark cloud of destruction. Once she peeked around a corner to see a large crowd of people running and screaming in panic as the monkeys surged forward. A small child, no older than eight stood in the crowd with tears streaking down her face. She called in vain for her mother to come to the rescue before she was swallowed up in the massive throng of body's.

The boys led the front of the group, all the turtles, rabbit, panda and splinter joined them as well. Followed by the rest of the group with Squirrel guarding the back with the children just in front of her, they surged through the alleys at incredible speed, when they heard something scuffling among the trash in front of them. Leonardo who was leading the pack put his hand up to signal for the group to stop.

"What is it, food?" Chowder said trying to peek over Hare's shoulder.

"Probably bad guys you idiot!" Cat replied angrily.

"Both of you children hush." Mrs. Duck said in a quiet but firm tone.

Everyone watched intently as too little pink ears perked up out of the garbage.

"Paninnie is that you?" Squirrel asked cautiously.

At hearing her name Paninnie hopped out of the trash and threw her arms around Chowder, much to his protest.

"Oh Chowder sweetie I knew you'd come to save me!" She screamed in her squeaky little voice.

"Oh great out of all the people we could have run into in these dirty alleys we meet you." Cat mumbled to herself.

"Paninni, where's Mrs. Endive?" Squirrel asked, bending down to Paninni's eye level.

Tears began to streak down her little pink face. "Mrs. Endive was taken by the bad men. She told me to run and run until I made it here. She told me we'd meet up here but I've been here for hours and she hasn't shown up yet."

Squirrel bent down to put her arms around the young girl. Mrs. Endive was this girls mentor; maybe to Paninni she was just a little more. It would explain why Paninni was willing to deal with the harsh rules and strict training. Let alone do it with enthusiasm. Paninni clutched onto Squirrel's shirt, wetting it as her tears began to pour from her face.

"Shh it will be okay. Don't cry we'll get her back don't worry." Squirrel cooed into her ear while gently rubbing the back of her head to try and ease the young girl's pain.

The girl gently began to stop her sobbing; Squirrel looked down to see that she had fallen asleep in her arms. The mental strain must have just been too much on the small girl. She felt someone tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Mung Dall with his arms outstretched.

"Hand her to me, I'll watch her until we get somewhere safe." He said quietly but sternly.

Squirrel was slightly surprised at Mung's willingness to help. She watched curiously as Mung curled his arms around the girl like a father. She wondered…was it possible that Mung could have, no that was just ridiculous thinking. They all continued on their way Squirrel allowed her mind to wander until she felt a small tug on her skirt. She looked down in surprise to see that it was her little brother Skunk.

"Squirrel, do you think Wolf's okay?" He asked her just loud enough so just she could hear.

Squirrel smiled at her little brother; she knew he idolized the young man. She remembered him telling her how Wolf and he had first really bonded. It was several months after Crow had first begun training him; he'd mastered the art of the sword. Dashing in-between targets and slashing them this way and that. He'd set up several dummies for himself to practice with. Skunk watched intently and did his best to mimic the blows and strikes with a crude stick he found lying on the ground. Wolf made swordplay look like an art as he wove, spun, and parried his imaginary foes. That's when Wolf performed a rather difficult move, when Skunk tried to mimic this attack the stick was wrenched out of his hands and flung straight toward Wolf! In one quick and simple motion he split the stick in two with his sword. Skunk held his breath as Wolf looked into the bushes with piercing eyes. He noticed what looked like a smile cross his lips; he sheathed the sword before he spoke.

"You can come out now Skunk." Wolf said kindly with a smile

Skunk carefully made his way out of the bushes and looked at his feet. He kept his eyes averted as Wolf walked towards him and kneeled down to his eye level.

"Sorry, I was just watching I swear." Skunk said defensively keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

"Relax Skunk, I'm not angry." Wolf told him while patting him on the shoulder.

"You're not?" Skunk looked up, his eyes hopeful.

"No, why would I be? You want to learn something new, in my opinion that's great, and if you would like I'd be glad to teach you how to fight with a sword."

"Really, You could teach me!?" Skunk cried out excitedly, before his face showed disappointment once again. "I almost forgot…I'm already training with Panda."

Wolf leaned back on his haunches and positioned himself into a more comfortable position.

"Yeah, I suppose that could be a bit of a problem. What's he teaching you anyway?" Wolf asked, not abandoning his welcoming and kind tone of voice.

Skunk sat down next to Wolf and began using a stick to draw in the sand as he spoke. "That's just it, he hasn't taught me anything! He just tells me to sit and meditate while he works on dealing with the new ninja monkeys and that Viper guy." His picture began to take shape in what looked like a group of mountains and a rising sun perching itself behind them. "He hasn't had time to teach me any new techniques." He let out a sigh as he finished his picture. The sun rays were peeking over the mountains in magnificent rays. The sun was touching a field down below and giving it life, as wherever the rays touched grass and flowers would sprout up out of the ground. Like the Earth was giving birth to beauty itself. He tossed down the stick and admired his work, cocking his head this way and that to see it from different angles.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Wolf asked, pointing at the picture with interest.

"Squirrel taught me before all this." He let out a depressed huff before the wind picked up his sand picture and swept it away, forever lost in the sky.

Wolf watched his depressed face for a few minutes before he stood up confidently. "You know what, how about I teach you a thing or two about kicking butt."

"But Panda-" Skunk began worriedly.

"Don't worry about him, I'll ask that if in between my training and your studies I'll see if I can teach you all my moves."

"All of them, really!?" Skunk jumped up from where he was sitting in pure enthusiasm.

"Yeah, why even try to do something if you won't go all the way, right? So how about you get up and we get you a proper wooden sword, rather than just this misshapen thing." He grabbed the stick Skunk was practicing with and tossed it behind him. "By the time I'm done with you you'll be able to beat anybody in a sword battle."

"Even Rabbit?"

Wolf chuckled in amusement. "Especially Rabbit, just between you and me. I don't even think he can tell the difference between the sharp end of a blade and the hilt."

In all honesty Skunk didn't really know what a hilt was, but he laughed at the joke anyway. They began to walk off in the direction of Panda's hill to ask for permission and suitable practice gear.

"Hey Wolf?" Skunk looked up at him like a brother.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think after we're done training maybe I could beat you in fight?" He asked nervously

Wolf chuckled, "don't get too far ahead of yourself." Wolf ruffled up his hair. "You have to get that good first."

They walked off; the sun was beginning to set that day, creating a brilliant twilight in the sky as they walked through the tall grass of the valley. Laughing and enjoying each others company.

That was just a short few months ago. That once cheery and happy Skunk had now been replaced by a very pensive and depressed little brother.

"Don't worry about Wolf. He's tough you know that. Besides, Fox would kill him if he ever died on her." Squirrel joked while patting her brother on the head.

Skunk rewarded his sister's joke with a smile. It might seem like a small gesture, but it was the first time Squirrel had seen her brother smile in weeks. It warmed her heart to see that her brother was still alive under that little rain cloud that had consumed his entire spirit recently.

"Squirrel come on, we don't have any time to linger." Squirrel heard Donnie call from the front of their little line.

Squirrel looked down to her little brother. "Come on we have to get a move on." She said. "I'll race you there."

And so they both took off, speeding towards their friends, the small group had finally begun to leave the cramped alleyways and reach the outskirts of Marzipan. The alleyways gave way to a large sandlot. They were running neck and neck when. A beam of light shot out of the ground and created some kind of force field to appear in front of them. Neither of the two was fast enough to react to the large wall and both collided into it with enough force to knock the wind out of Squirrel and throw her backwards. Skunk was flung backwards as the wall of energy let out a strange blast and threw him against a wall with such strength it caused him to lose consciousness.

Squirrel did her best to get to her feet. Her knees felt like giving out as she stepped closer to the wall. It shone gold and what looked like little electric bolts raced across it. The wall seemed like something out of a science fiction movie. Donnie sprinted over from the other side. It looked like he was trying to say something but when he tried to speak his voice sounded muffled and distant.

"I can't understand you!" She tried to yell back.

She watched as his expression became more and more panicked. She saw him scream when she felt two large hands seize her by the shoulders! She struggled and kicked as the attacker dragged her away from the shield, but his grip held firm! She didn't give up however and brought her shoulder up quickly and slammed it into the attacker's jaw! The blood began to flow freely from his mouth as one of his teeth pierced his upper lip. The attacker lost himself in rage and slammed his fist into the back of her head. Knocking her to the ground, he reeled around for another attack. She heard what sounded like a stabbing sound and heard him scream. She slowly looked up, afraid of what she might see. A sword protruded from the ninja monkey's chest, the blood poured from the wound like a malfunctioning fountain. He fell to the ground, dead. His blood mixing with the sand turning it from crimson red into a dirty brown,

"Now I warned you not to get to rough." She heard a terrible yet familiar voice say.

She tore her eyes away from the grisly scene in front of her and looked upward. The man that saved her stood clad in black armor. His face blocked out by the sun, as he stood and gazed at his blood stained sword.

He let out a sigh. "Punk dirtied my blade." He said to himself before tossing the sword on the ground next to Squirrel. She could sense his eyes on her. "Why hello miss Squirrel, so nice to see you again."

"H…how do you know my name?" Squirrel asked, slightly frightened.

"Oh, don't tell me you forgot. I figured last time we met I had left quite the impression." He bent down, Squirrel couldn't believe who she saw standing before her.

"Baboon…what are you doing here?"

"Me, why I'm serving my master of course,"

"So Dragon's behind this then?" Squirrel said getting to her knees.

"That wretch, pft, he's nothing compared to my true master. Viper has ordered me to take Wolf alive, but as I see he's not with the rest of you. But you're going to tell me or else I'll be splitting your throat." Baboon said menacingly.

"Fine so you want to kidnap Wolf that I understand. But why take the rest of the people from Marzipan?" She was surprised at how defiant she sounded.

"Oh I suppose there's no problem telling you what we're up to. You see, the Valley holds a secret, a secret that can only be revealed by using the blood of the chosen one. There is a chamber located deep within the underground of the valley; it leads to a magical and all powerful object. A weapon so deadly that one could use it to rule the entire planet, this is the power my master seeks. But to reach this weapon my master needs workers. But I suppose you're wondering why Wolf's siblings had to die, well the sword does not gain full power until it spills the blood of one of the chosen, this is were you're friend comes in. But the door to the sanctuary of this weapon will only open when the strongest of the chosen is filled with hate. We figured the best way to do this would be to kill what little family Wolf has left. Fill him with the desire for revenge; get him to kill out of pure rage." He let out a sigh. "Sadly this little plan of ours includes killing the rest of you as well."

Before she knew it Baboon had seized her by the throat! She could feel his hands tighten around her throat, she could see Donnie screaming and pounding on the shield that acted as his prison. Tears streaked down her face, both from the pain and the knowledge that soon she would never be able to see another sunrise, or sunset. Never hold the hand of her lover again; never see her little brother smile again. It was getting hard to see now; she felt the last gasp of air slowly making its way out of her body. She shut her eyes tight, and waited for death. When…she felt Baboons hands leave her throat, she fell in the dirt and hacked and coughed as she took in one gasp of air after another. She looked up to see Skunk clinging onto Baboon's neck, and biting his ear. Baboon screamed in pain and grabbed Skunk by his hair! Ripping Skunk off of his body he threw the small boy against the shield! He bounced off like a rag doll, Baboon stepped toward him menacingly.

"Oh I've wanted to do this ever since we first met you little punk!" Baboon growled as he stepped toward Skunk with a dagger in his hand.

Squirrel watched in horror as Baboon stepped closer and closer to a now cowering Skunk. She had to do something anything! She couldn't let Baboon take her brothers life, but what could she do! Tears poured down her face, she felt sick and nearly vomited. She put her head down in the dirt and seemed to lose herself in darkness! A few minutes seemed like an eternity she sat in darkness and cried, before…she heard her brother scream her name.

"Squirrel, help please!"

The voice brought her out of the darkness; she looked up through tear stained eyes to see that Baboon had Skunk by the throat and held the dagger above his head. It was in that instant Squirrel reacted, no thought, no emotion, just pure primal instinct is what made her pick up the sword that lay in the dirt next to her and drive it through Baboon's chest. She heard him scream in pain as the blade protruded through his chest! Then he fell to the ground, blood pouring out of the gaping hole in his chest. He cast one last hateful look in Squirrel's direction before the light left his eyes forever. Squirrel heard an explosion off in the distance.

Her vision blurred and extreme weariness seemed to creep over her body like an eerie fog. She collapsed to her knees, and looking one last time at the corpse lying at her feet, passed out.


	17. Aftermath

Fox sliced through the shoulder of one of her opponents. She looked in the sky at the giant stone slab in the sky. What was taking Wolf so long? She wasn't sure how long she could hold off her attackers. Just then the slab exploded! A huge release of energy exploded from within the stone, a huge shaft of light shot up in the sky! The light was so intense that it felt like it might burn her eyes right out of their sockets. The light disappeared and the slab had exploded into several smaller chunks and was falling from the sky!

She scanned the sky for any sign of Wolf, she didn't have long to look however as a piece of stone came crashing down into the building beside her. The force of the impact blew the building in half, sending bricks and shrapnel everywhere. She managed to dodge most of the material, but just wasn't quick enough to dodge a brick that was sent sailing towards her head! The collision knocked her right onto the ground. She struggled with consciousness as her vision blurred! She curled up into a ball as more of the stone came crashing down around her, blowing the buildings around her into bits! Glass, stone, and concrete was sent flying into the air. She dared to look up into the sky; her jaw nearly hit the floor when she saw one of the giant stone pieces heading straight for her! She knew this was the end, nothing could save her now. She cried as she wrapped her arms around her head in a last attempt at self preservation.

When she felt herself being whisked away into the air, for a second she wondered if her death had been quick and that this was what it felt like to be sent to heaven. When she felt the hands that were whisking her away wrap around her like only one person had ever held her before. She looked up to see that the one coming to her rescue was none other than Wolf! Tears of pure joy streamed down her face as she clutched onto her lover.

"Hold on tight!" Wolf commanded her.

There were still stone fragments flying through the air as Wolf soared through the sky. Wolf twisted and flipped through all of the obstacles. Using amazing aerial capabilities to avoid the falling objects with extreme ease, Fox shut her eyes tight as they moved through the air, avoiding all the destruction being caused down below. She could hear the screams of fear and agony from down below, whether from her enemies or from the innocent she couldn't tell. It was a terrible sound, and it nearly caused her to weep. She longed to shut the sound out of her ears. Wolf, as if reading her mind gently placed his hands on her ears. For the sounds of bones crushing and screams of pain was something that nobody should have to endure. Fox felt herself being lowered onto the ground, soft grass pressed up against her back. Sound flooded back into her ears like a rushing torrent as Wolf let go of her ears, she looked up at him sadly then threw her arms around him, she held onto him like if she let go he'd leave her forever. He returned the embrace lovingly; he rubbed her back with his left arm. His right arm had been rendered useless by the explosion. Twisting it out of place and shattering the bone, he could still feel a small bone fragment protruding from his arm. But for now the pain was momentarily forgotten as he felt his lover's warm embrace. He could feel her tears streak down her face as she clung to him.

"Oh Wolf…I thought I was going to die." She whispered to him softly.

"I promise, so long as I live I'll never let any harm come to you." He told her, and he meant every word.

She pulled away from the embrace just far enough to look into his eyes. She gently placed her hands on his helmet and gingerly removed it from his face. She looked into his eyes lovingly, before they pulled into each other for a long and passionate kiss. They held the kiss for as long as possible, both feeling the love of each other in their kiss and embrace. It seemed like an eternity that they held that kiss, she felt as if she could be like this forever should time have allowed it. She gently pulled away, lingering just a moment longer. Her hands ran down his arm, she felt the warm stream of blood steadily pouring its way out of his wound. She looked up at him, her face full of concern.

"Your arm," is all she said while gingerly running her fingers over the bone.

"It'll heal soon." He reassured her. "It doesn't even hurt. But for now we can't stay here. Squirrel and the others have got to be close."

"Are you sure you don't want to rest a little?" She asked with concern. "You should at least put a brace on your arm."

He stopped mid stride, looked back to her and smiled.

"What for?" He asked holding up his arm. Fox stood in amazement, his arm was fully healed! The only piece of evidence that could possibly be used to say he had injured his arm was that it was stained in blood.

She ran to catch up with him; together they walked through the rubble of what was once Marzipan city. The falling stones had utterly destroyed nearly all of the buildings inside this once beautiful city. Dust hung in the air, Wolf walked with his sword drawn, knowing full well that at any moment they could run into an enemy ambush. His wings had receded into his back; he figured that maybe they'd heal if he didn't use them for a while. They walked together in silence, scrambling over the ruble of ruined buildings. Wolf turned to help Fox over a large stone that blocked the way in front of them, when Wolf's ear twitched. He'd heard a sound off in the distant, his soldier's instinct allowing him to hone directly in on the target. It was faint at first, perhaps just a mouse scrambling about the wreckage. But then it grew louder, the creature was moving at a mismatched pace now, perhaps limping. Squinting his eyes he could see someone turning the corner of a wrecked alleyway. The figure looked around in bewilderment, as if lost in the dust before turning and starting to walk off in the other direction. Wolf stood and watched for a minute, not sure whether this person was an enemy scout or not. The figure took a few shuffling steps forward, before stopping and looking directly into the sky. Then fell, Wolf clambered down the stone and looked through the dusty haze to see the figure wasn't moving. He and fox carefully stepped closer; when they got into view Wolf thought he was going to be sick. There…lying in the dirt was not an enemy, but a man. Stepping forward Wolf bent down to him. He wasn't breathing.

"Can we help him?" Fox said quietly. Her voice seeming out of place in the eerie silence,

Wolf just shook his head; he gently turned him over on his back. The man was just a boy, only seventeen at the most. A large glass shard protruded from his chest, his blood mixed in with all the dirt and grime clinging to his shirt. Wolf closed the boy's eyes and removed the glass. He sat quietly and cursed himself, just another innocent life he was responsible for stealing.

Fox watched from a distance, waiting and watching. Wolf sat over the boy, not moving, not talking. She stepped closer; she could see Wolf holding his head in his hands. Tears streaked down his face. As she stood there, watching her loved one weep over the body of a dead boy, she felt a swell of her own emotions beginning to build up inside of her. Before she knew it she was on her knees next to him. Together they let out all the emotions they'd kept bottled up inside. She wept for the boy, she wept for Wolf, she wept for herself, she wept for her friends, and she wept for all the chaos and destruction that had befallen Marzipan.

She was so consumed by her own emotions that she didn't even notice Wolf stand up and wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Maybe….we could bury him?" She offered swallowing her own tears.

Wolf shook his head. "We just don't have the time."

"We have to do something." Fox said more to herself than to anybody else.

Wolf was already one step ahead of her; he walked over to a nearby ruined building. He ripped off what was left of the curtains. He walked over in silence and gently placed the cloth on the boy's small body. He knelt down next to the boy, and for what seemed like an eternity they paid their respects.

"I'm sorry." Wolf whispered.

Fox looked at him, about to ask why he was apologizing, just to realize that his comment was meant for the boy, not her. He stood back up and began to walk away in silence. He hung his head low, knowing full well that he could be responsible for more deaths than just that boy. Together they walked, a stark silence hanging in the air. The only sound left in the air being the breeze which whipped up every once and a while. Taking a large amount of dust and rubble with it, when Fox decided to take a brave leap and break the silence.

"It's not your fault Wolf." She told him.

For a while he just kept walking, acting as if he hadn't heard her.

"There wasn't any other way. That thing had to be destroyed."

Wolf stopped short, he just stood there. Looking perfectly statuesque, he seemed to blend in with the dust and grime floating in the air. When he turned around, she searched his face for any sign of what he might be thinking. He gave no clue. That's when he said something, barely above a whisper, though in the silence it seemed as loud as any shout could ever be.

"There's always another way." He looked back at her, his face showed nothing. Though his eyes were filled with sadness, "remember that," he turned and began to walk off.

"But you don't believe it's your fault right?" She told him while running to catch up.

"Fox, I've killed people. Their blood stains my hands…and it's a stain that will never wash off. And now, thanks to me you know what it's like to take another's life. In honesty, I'm no better than a murderer. That kid was just a single drop of blood compared to the pool I've already spilt."

SMACK!

Fox stood in front of Wolf, she panted heavily. Her hand hovering in midair, the slap she had just given Wolf was harder than any fight she'd ever been in.

Wolf's cheek burned from the slap. He harbored no anger for her brash reaction, no sadness, he knew deep down that he deserved much more. When he looked down however he was surprised to see, not anger on her face, but tears. She shook her head slowly in quiet denial of what he just said.

"Please…please don't say that. The man I fell in love with was no murderer. And he still isn't." She whispered to him, before collapsing into his arms. She buried her head into his chest; Wolf rubbed the back of her head, gently trying to ease her sobs. "Please don't say that…please." She began to cry much heavier now. Her tears creating a small pool of water underneath their feet, "Oh Wolf, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, please forgive me. I just beg you; never call yourself a murderer again."

"Fox…please don't apologize, you did nothing wrong. You never do anything wrong." He kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

She looked at him through teary eyes, he thought what he said might cheer her up slightly. Instead her tears began to pour even heavier now. She threw her arms around his neck and continued to cry.

"Oh Wolf, I love you too." He could tell that what she said was the truth. She did love him, and he loved her too.

"Then why are you crying?"

She looked up at him, smiling yet crying at the same time.

"No one's ever told me that before." She choked out before pulling him into a kiss.

Breaking free Wolf held her close, and smiled.

"I thought I said I love you before?"

"But this time I know you really mean it." She pulled him into a tight hug. "I can feel it deep down. I know that you and I are meant to be now."

Wolf hadn't realized it before, but he could feel it too. It felt as if his soul was on fire, Wolf found himself recalling an old story he kept in his mother's old journal. It was written by her, especially for him.

_It was said that long ago there were two gods that stood watch over the world in the sky. One day these two gods fell in love, though then it was forbidden for a god to love. So the heavens separated these two gods from each other, placing one on the Earth and another in the sky. Though as the legend goes, these two gods formed a love so strong that a mystical essence kept them bound to each other. And even though they were separated from each other they were always aware of the others love. I believe that your father and I share this love; I can feel it when he's next to me, and I can feel it when he's not. And one day son I know you'll find this love. I just hope that I'm there to see it._

At first Wolf thought his mother might have been acting overly dramatic. But he could feel it now, his heart felt like it was beating stronger than ever before. He could feel Fox's heart as well; he could feel her heartbeat so strongly that it seemed as if her heart rested in his own chest. He felt his body fill with energy, an intense strength. He was suddenly more aware of Fox's presence, as if he knew exactly where she was no matter how far away she wandered. They shared one last passionate kiss, before continuing down the road.

Squirrel awoke on a hard brick floor. Dust clung to the air and she was covered in dirt. Her throat throbbed in pain; she could still feel Baboon's icy fingers clawing at her neck. She could barely remember anything, what blurry images she could conjure up were fuzzy at best.

"It's probably good I can't remember much." She said to herself.

She could recall a few things here and there. She knew it was Baboon that tried to strangle her; the red hand marks were proof enough of that. He certainly knew how to make an impression. She knew someone called her name, then…blood. Oh god the blood, she could remember it pouring out over her hands. She could feel it soak into her fur…she remembered almost vomiting at the site. She gingerly lifted herself off the floor and surveyed her surroundings. There was a hole in the roof, sunlight peeked through it, and illuminating the small building she was placed in. A group of several small rocks, about the size of the palm of an average man's hand, were lying directly underneath the large hole. Upon closer examination the stones were rather odd, Squirrel couldn't place the name of the stone but she was sure she hadn't ever seen it before. The stone had all sorts of odd markings written across it. It also seemed to shimmer when the light touched it. She placed a small sample in her pocket. She figured Donnie would like to take a look at it and run some tests.

She stumbled down what was left of the stairs in the building, when she reached the last step she saw that everybody else was taking a rest. Rabbit was pacing back and forth in front of the window, mumbling to himself as he did so. When she tried to talk to him he simply dismissed her with a wave of his hand. He was obviously too worried about Fox to worry about much else at the moment, for it was never really that hard to wonder who he was thinking about. Skunk sat next to his father on a ruined old couch, he'd fallen asleep just moments ago. Crow sat apart from the crowd like usual, staring out the window in his usual cold manner. Mung, Truffles, and Mrs. Duck were all digging through the cupboards. Digging around through the preserves for something to fill every ones starving bellies, while Cat Hare and the other children, including Paninni, sat in the middle of the living room and played a board game in silence.

She didn't have much more time to look around, as she felt a familiar green turtle snatch her up in his arms. She relished in the embrace, it was the first familiar thing she felt in ages. He hugged her so tight that he nearly cut off her circulation. Donnie quickly realized what he was doing and eased up a bit. A broad smile crossed his lips as he looked at her.

"Squirrel, sorry I'm just so happy to see your okay. I've been worried sick, are you feeling okay?"

Squirrel opened her mouth to speak then shut it as her throat screamed in protest. She simply nodded instead, clearing her throat while doing so. Donnie's face tightened in response.

"Baboon hurt your throat didn't he?" He asked in concern.

She cleared her throat again before responding, "I think he did a little damage to my windpipe."

Donnie balled up his fist. "I thought we were rid of that bastard a long time ago."

"Yeah, well he shouldn't be coming back this time; I know that for a fact." She forced the word out of her throat, offhandedly gazing down at her hands. She could still see a small red splotch staining her left hand, when she settled into another coughing fit.

Donnie placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her out a little.

"Hey Mung is there any water in the cabinets?" Donnie called back towards the kitchen.

"Unfortunately no, there's hardly anything that's actually edible in here." He called back, still shuffling around the shelfs, making loud clanking noises as he did so.

"And anything that isn't a thousand years old is covered in sand from outside." Mrs. Duck chimed in.

Squirrel sat down next to Panda sorrowfully. Her throat felt like it was on fire! She scratched at it irritably, only to realize that was making it worse.

Crow looked down at her pitifully; _damn girl's coughing is interrupting my meditation!_ He thought irritably. And she didn't show any sign of stopping, sighing to himself he rummaged through his pockets for a special elixir he'd been working on. He wasn't exactly sure what it would do, but he knew it healed just about any wound. He smiled to himself as his hand clasped around a small vial in his pocket. He yanked it out, and read the label just incase.

"Girl, stop coughing up your own lung for a moment and drink this." Crow said in his usual gruff manner while tossing the small vial of brown liquid to her.

She caught it easily and suppressed a cough as she gazed down at it. She sloshed the liquid back and forth in the vial, examining it a little closer.

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

"Oh for the love of all that's holy, just drink the fucking thing!" Crow snapped.

Despite being absolutely appalled at his choice of words she did as he asked. Gingerly lifting the vial to her lips and downing it in a single swig. Her face contorted in disgust as the slimy liquid made its way down her throat. She gagged on the liquid for what must have been five minutes before she looked at Crow in anger.

"YUCK! What on Earth did you make me drink?!" She practically screamed, waking her little brother next to her and turning more than just one head in the room.

"Give it a minute; you'll be thanking me for it in a moment." He replied coolly.

Squirrel did wait a minute, and to her surprise he was right. There was a burning sensation on the sore part of her throat, and then as soon as the feeling came it vanished. She felt like her throat was as good as new! In addition to the feeling in her throat it felt as if her whole body was suddenly being flooded with strength, all weariness crept from her body and felt as if she had been completely rejuvenated. Crow noticed the surprised expression on her face and smiled a small and discreet smile to himself. Looked like his little concoction wasn't poisonous after all, he was actually worried there for a moment. Though he would never admit it about feeling such a way,

"I suppose I should thank you." Squirrel said in a small voice, the penetrating gaze of everybody in the room making her squirm a little.

"Don't, I don't need your thanks nor do I want it. I'm just glad you stopped coughing long enough for me to hear my own thoughts." He replied truthfully, he saw no need to show fake concern.

She slouched down as she sat on the couch and gazed outside. She couldn't believe the immense amount of destruction outside. She wondered how long it would take for Marzipan to reach its former glory; she had trouble picturing anything less than forty years. She felt a familiar touch on her shoulder; she turned her head to see that it was her father Panda. He looked at her with a warm gaze, his hazel eyes showing deep concern for her.

"Will you be alright my child?" He asked.

"Yes father, I should be okay. How did all of this destruction happen?" She queried, stealing another glance at the crumpled buildings lying in heaps in front of them.

"Ah yes, this destruction occurred just after you were knocked unconscious. That stone object in the sky erupted into a fiery explosion. We ran from building to building, doing our best to avoid the falling stones. It was as if heaven itself rained its fury down upon us!" Panda clenched his fist for effect. "Yet it seemed that the heavens favored us this day, for none of us were hurt in this seemingly cataclysmic event. As for the others we saw however…" Panda paused for a short while, seemingly in silent mourning. "I fear they were not quite as fortunate as we were." He sighed, "I will pray for them tonight."

They sat in silence for a while, her brother had dosed back off. The recent events seemingly sapping away his energy…when Squirrel heard something, it sounded like a slight clanking noise making its way down the street. Rabbit must have heard it too, for his fur stood on end and his ears perked up. Squirrel did her best to scan through all the sand that was being whipped up outside, the wind had picked up just nearly five minutes ago. It had already escalated into a full blown sandstorm.

The clanking got louder as the figure stepped forward. It sounded as if the figure was speaking; however the wind was whipping so hard that it drowned out any sound caught up in its mighty gusts. She heard the figure stumble over a rock in the road and fall over, as soon as the figure began a barrage of curses and swears she knew immediately who it was.

"Wolf, we're in here!" She called to him.

"Squirrel, that you, where are you?!" She heard Wolf call back.

"Over here!"

"Here doesn't exactly give me a clue!"

"I think it's that building over there." Squirrel heard a second yet fainter voice say.

"Fox!" Rabbit shouted happily, it was obvious she was the only one he was truly worried about.

They both stumbled through the door, Rabbit's smile faded as he saw that Wolf's hand was tightly clasped around Fox's. There seemed to be a new aura around the two, she was curious as to whether they were a good couple or not earlier into their relationship. But for some odd reason she didn't seem to think that anymore. She figured Rabbit felt this about them as well, because as soon as they stumbled through he slowly and sullenly left the room. The two were covered in dirt, and Wolf looked exhausted. He heaved the bloodstained armor off his body and tossed it to the floor, feeling a little better to have the extra weight taken off his body.

"Ah Wolf, it is good to see you well." Master Splinter said, seemingly crawling out of the shadows.

"Yeah, it's been a little while."

"Finally found something to eat everyone!" Mung announced proudly from the kitchen. "I'm frying it up right now."

Wolf was suddenly aware of the pit in his stomach. He almost forgot he hadn't eaten in three days.

"Uh do you guys think we could wait a little while before getting reacquainted? I'm absolutely starving."

"Fooooood!" Chowder screamed while screeching out from the back room.

They ate in cold silence, the food seeming bland and tasteless. Wolf finished the last of his food and pushed the plate away. Meanwhile Chowder was scarfing down fifths.

"So, what do we have planned?" Wolf asked, his question aimed at Panda.

Panda folded his hands over his belly, seemingly in thought before he opened his mouth to speak.

"We keep moving, and find another place for us to settle down." Panda said quietly.

"What, you mean were not going to try and take back the valley?" Wolf asked skeptically.

"No, Viper has become to powerful, there's nothing we can do."

"You have to be kidding; we can't just let him take over the valley!" Wolf stood up out of his chair.

"It's not our fight anymore; we can't endanger ourselves more than necessa-''

"Bullshit!" Wolf slammed his fist into the dining table, creating large dents where his fist connected with the soft wood. "Don't tell me it's not our fight! Viper swoops in and takes the valley away from us while our backs are turned, he has my family killed! He holds the power to destroy the entire planet in his hands, and you're telling me we're just going to stand here and let him do it!?" He felt a growl rising up in his throat. "Well I won't, Viper wants a fight I'll give it to him! Whether you're with me or not isn't my problem!"

Wolf could feel that familiar power coursing through him again, he felt like leaping on Panda and ripping out his eyes. That familiar voice returned to him,_ DO IT, SHOW HIM WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE!"_ He dug his claws into the wood, entertaining the menacing thought. He could feel himself being pulled into darkness…when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

"Wolf…please don't give in to it, I know what you're thinking. Don't put us through this, we need you."

He turned his gaze towards the voice…it was Fox. He could feel her eyes pulling him away from the darkness. His grip loosened on the table,

He looked back at the table; they were all staring at him. Cat and Hare cowered under Crane's wings, he felt like he'd betrayed them.

"I…I'm sorry everyone, I need to get some air." Wolf apologized as he stood up and left the kitchen.

"Wolf wait, you don't have to go." Fox called as she ran after him.

For a long while the table was silent, no one dared make a noise, when Crow let out a huff.

"Good to see the boy has a little anger inside him. He's a little too kind for his own good if you ask me." Crow scoffed before leaving the table, not seeming to have been fazed at all by Wolf's sudden outburst.


	18. Calm Before the Storm

The sun was setting over Marzipan city, Wolf sat quietly on the wrecked balcony of the small house where the valley animals had been using as shelter for the past couple of days. Wolf had retreated up to this quiet little spot after his outburst at the dinner table. He just felt like he needed to get away from everyone for a while, get away from the stares, and get away from the quiet murmurs being traded sneakily between individuals while his back was turned. He found peace in the quiet and the dark orange of the sunset, a peace he hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity, the sun caressed his face and warmed his body, when he felt that familiar lump of sadness return to his throat. Rose loved to look at the sunset; she'd stand outside and watch it for hours. He never really thought about it much…but now that she was gone, every time he saw the sun begin to go down he could see her gentle smile on the horizon. He felt his eyes begin to swell with tears again, yet he quickly wiped them away. He couldn't cry, wouldn't allow himself to cry. He had to remain strong, if not for himself than for everyone else. Yet he couldn't help but feel a tight not of guilt in his stomach when he thought of his sister, he should have known better than to have let her stay here, he gave her all the things she needed to live out in New York. But he gave in to her demands; she wanted to be with her family. That he could forgive. What he couldn't forgive was his own actions, he personally had let each of his surviving family members die, and he'd broken his promise, that's why he could never forgive himself.

He sighed as he heard the door to the balcony creak open; the door was in terrible disrepair and the damage done by the flying rocks didn't help. Fox stepped out beside him, he didn't bother to look at who had come to join him outside, he already knew who it was. Together they waited in silence, gazing out as the sun fell behind the hills and knight had finally begun to fall. The wind picked up gently, carrying a slight drop in temperature with it. Fox shivered against the cold, the wind was surprisingly colder than she anticipated it to be. Wolf looked at her calmly, his face showing no emotion, just deep and cold thought. He unzipped his green jacket before calling her over.

"Come here." He told her quietly. She did as she was asked and stood in front of him. He gently draped the jacket around her shoulders like a blanket, the extra warmth comforting.

She looked into his eyes for what felt like a year, but what was in reality just a few seconds, before leaning her head into his chest. They spent another eternity in sweet silence, their warm embrace saying much more than words ever could. Wolf felt like they could hold each other together like this forever, but he knew that they needed to talk. They had something very important to discuss.

"Fox, I need to ask you something." Wolf said sullenly, feeling a little sad at the fact that to tell her what he needed to he had to break the beautiful silence.

Fox sighed deeply in response; she didn't need to speak to show she was listening.

"Tomorrow I'm leaving for the Valley, whether Panda and the rest want to come or not is something I don't have time to think about. What I want to know is whether you'll come with me or not."

"Wolf, of course I'll come. Wherever you go is where I want to be, you know that." Fox told him softly, not a single word of what she said was a lie. Her love ran deep, and she knew their connection would never allow them to truly ever separate.

"You know I won't argue with you. But this is a dangerous task, and not one I choose to share lightly. Our enemies plan to kill us, they will show no mercy, and neither can we. The odds aren't in our favor. And there's a good chance that one or even both of us," Wolf swallowed a lump in his throat, he wanted anything but to say the next few words that had to come out of his mouth, "might die. And that's why…I want to give you this."

Wolf bent down on his knee, Fox held her breath. Wolf didn't plan on doing what she was thinking he was doing right? She thought to herself, she'd never really seen the human way of proposing before, but from how Squirrel described it this looked REALLY close to what she expected. Wolf gingerly reached into his pocket and retrieved a small ring. It was of extravagant beauty, it was made of amazing gold. Seven silver sockets with four shining diamonds placed inside was certainly an eye catcher. The ring shined in what little light was left in the sky and she found herself wondering how Wolf had kept the beautiful piece of jewelry so shiny and clean when they were wandering through the wreckage of Marzipan.

He held onto the ring so gently and carefully that it seemed as if he clasped onto it to hard with his fingers that the precious metal would crush into dust. Fox felt her breath get caught in her throat; she felt all her emotions rushing forth like a great torrent breaking through a dam. There were so many she wasn't sure which one to express. Joy, curiosity, surprise, bewilderment, fear, all of them just mixed up into a strange bundle of emotion. Wolf gently slipped the ring on to her finger, she didn't know what to do but switch her gaze back and forth between him and the ring in awe. After a few minutes she opened her mouth to speak.

"Wolf I-I,"

"I don't want you to decide right now. I know it's a big step in a relationship and a tough decision; I just want you to know that no matter what happens…I do and always will love you. And I would like to spend the rest of my life with you. If," Wolf caught himself before he continued, he didn't want to sound so confident that he wouldn't make it back from his trip. "**When** this is all over, we can have a proper wedding back home, with everybody there. You know…if you say yes that is. Just think on it okay." Wolf told her before standing up and leaving the balcony.

Fox looked down at the ring on her hand in deep thought; her heart told her to chase Wolf down, throw her arms around him and scream the word yes at the top of her lungs! Proclaiming her love for him to the entire world! But her mind thought a little more sensibly, she loved Wolf, **that** was certainly unmistakable. But was she ready for marriage? It was a big leap in a relationship; she didn't know if they were prepared for this, they were both still teenagers after all. Even though recent and traumatic events had aged them both much farther in the mind then their bodies were able to show. Wolf was close to eighteen now, just a few short months away. Fox however had just recently turned seventeen, a few days after Wolf arrived actually.

Fox played with the ring with her fingers as she thought to herself; she looked out towards the sky. The sun had finally gone down and a few gentle stars began to shy their way into the night sky. She shivered as the wind picked back up. She pulled Wolf's jacket a little tighter around her shoulders, she decided that she wouldn't be solving any of her problems by catching a cold, and she decided to retire to the little makeshift room the rest of the valley animals had set up as a bedroom.

Squirrel sat in the living room quietly. She was joined by Panda, Splinter, and Donnie, who sat in the corner analyzing the strange piece of rock she had found upstairs. Everybody else had wandered off to do their own thing, Rabbit was out back beating up a group of dummies he'd set up himself. From the sounds coming from out there she almost felt sorry for the dummies. Panda sat quietly on the couch next to her, scratching his beard and muttering to himself on occasion. It seemed what Wolf had said or maybe shouted was a better word, really got the old bear thinking. She sat on the couch, in boredom. Letting her mind wander and think back to happier times, she found herself wondering where Fox had gone off to. Searching for Wolf would be the obvious answer, but after his little stunt at dinner he'd disappeared to, so that only left more questions that begged to be answered. He'd left his armor in the corner of the living room; Crow had taken it and scrubbed the blood off of it. It still shined when the light caught it just right, but a long battle had made the armor lose its original luster.

"This is fascinating, truly fascinating!" Squirrel heard Donnie say to himself excitedly.

Squirrel got off the couch and walked over to him. Putting her hand on his shoulder she stared at his little experiment he had set up over a computer desk. Vials of odd liquid and strange concoctions were set up in neat little rows. The strange stone sat idle on a piece of paper while Donnie typed at his computer.

"What is it, did you find something interesting?" She questioned him.

"Ha, interesting is an understatement!" Donnie stated happily.

"Well don't keep me waiting in suspense. What did you find?"

"Well, this stone you found is completely amazing. It seems pretty harmless right; well it's actually emitting a large electrical charge as we speak. The amazing thing is that it's clean energy as well; it doesn't do any harm to the environment at all. Actually upon further studies the energy can be used to purify the environment if used correctly. I actually have it powering my computer as we speak." He made a quick gesture towards his computer, Squirrel looked and to her surprise she saw that the power cord wasn't plugged into anything.

"So, you're saying that we have just discovered an alternate power source! Donnie this is fantastic!" Squirrel shouted in joy, wrapping her arms around her turtle's broad shoulders. "Can you imagine what this stuff is capable of?" Suddenly she remembered how large the explosion was when Wolf blew the original stone structure up. "But none of that explains why it created such a big explosion."

Donnie's face changed from joy to slight disappointment.

"Yeah, that's about the only drawback. You see alone the rock is completely harmless." Donnie picked up the rock and dropped it on the desk to emphasize his point. "But combine it with an explosive substance and it changes from something great to something deadly. Here, check this out."

Donnie reached out and scrapped a few bits off of the rock and placed it in a small reinforced glass box. Then grabbed a small jar of gunpowder and dumped a small, almost microscopic amount onto the stone shavings. Then gently lifted the box off the table, and casting one last glance back at Squirrel, who was watching his actions intently. Then threw the glass box to the ground! There was a loud almost deafening sound, like thunder had struck the ground just a few feet in front of them! There was a flash so bright Squirrel had to look away, or she suffered the chance that her eyes might melt out of their sockets. The light gaze lasted for another minute and a half before finally dimming and fizzling out.

Squirrel was staring down at the box in pure astonishment, it was glowing red hot, and for a minute she thought the box might not hold the immense amount of power that exploded inside, but against all odds it had sustained the damage. She looked down at the now empty box, what looked like little lightning bolts seemed to race around inside of it.

"Wow…" Was all Squirrel could say, still staring in amazement at the glass box.

"Yeah, when I ran the tests that the size of the original stone had the explosion radius equivalent to an atomic bomb. It's a good thing when Wolf did whatever it was he did up there that it was up in the sky or Marzipan, along with us would have been vaporized in an instant." Donnie finished quietly.

"Maybe we could find a way to make it a little safer to use." Squirrel offered it was a shame to let such a good source of energy go to waste because it was dangerous.

"Maybe…I'll stay here and run a few more tests. You should go to bed; you've been through a lot today." He looked up to her with kind eyes. "You could use a bit of rest."

She didn't feel that tired, bored yes but not tired. She bent down to Donnie's eye level and gave him a kiss. "Okay, I'll go upstairs. But I'm not going to bed until you come up too, deal?"

Donnie chuckled a little before returning the kiss. "Deal,"

Squirrel quietly made her way upstairs, she could steal hear Rabbit punching away in fury at the dummies he'd set up. She figured that the dummies must be close to falling apart by now. As Squirrel walked through the hallway of the ruined home she spotted Wolf making his way down the hall. She tried to ask him where he was but he just kept on walking, he walked like a man on a mission. And in that brief instance she knew he was on his way downstairs, whether to tell off Panda or set out on his own was a question that was left to be answered. Judging from how well she knew Wolf she couldn't help but guess the latter category. He was always a bit of a loner, and she found that the term 'lone wolf' actually fit his description rather well. She could feel a waft of air flow out from a hole in the building on her right. The air chilled her to the bone, the cold seemed otherworldly…unnatural. The day before the attack the sun had been shining and the sky was clear. Now the town lay in ruins and the sky was filled with dirt and smog, the destruction was almost enough to bring a tear to her eye. This city was once so beautiful and lush with life, but in a single instance all of that was ripped away. She sighed, there was no use dwelling on the past, she had other things to think about right now. She continued walking down the hall, looking for a room that wasn't either crumbling into pieces or filled with rats and bugs. When she heard someone whisper her name.

"Squirrel…could you come in here for a sec?" Squirrel could hear the familiar whisper of Fox.

Squirrel quietly made her way into the small room Fox and Wolf had claimed as their bedroom. Fox sat on the dusty mattress in the room with her back turned away from Squirrel. She played with something in her lap, seeming rather nervous as to what she was about to ask. Squirrel sat on the mattress next to her, curious as to why she was acting so strange. She gently placed a hand on Fox's shoulder.

"Fox, you know you can tell me anything. We're friends right?" Squirrel asked in a friendly tone.

"Yeah…It's just, I'm not really sure what to do about…about," Fox said nervously, she hadn't wanted to tell anyone, but she needed advice. She figured Squirrel would be the person to ask.

"Fox, what is it?" Fox asked firmly but not meanly.

Fox took in a deep breath; she could feel her face burning up. Was it right to tell Squirrel about Wolf's gift?

"I…wanted to ask you about….this." Fox held up the ring for Squirrel to see.

Squirrel's draw went slack; she could barely believe what she was being shown. Did Wolf really propose to Fox? All she could manage to do was look at Fox, then at the ring, then back at Fox again.

Fox was blushing extremely heavily now. So much that it even began to show through her red fur.

"Fox, is that what I think it is?" Squirrel asked in surprise, pointing at the shining bit of jewelry.

All Fox could do was give a very brief nod and swallow hard.

"….yep…"

Wolf made his way down the wooden stairs which led to the living room. He needed to get some air; the building they were in was cramped and filled with dust. He needed to get out into the open, go for a walk maybe. He just needed a little time to be off on his own, do a little thinking. He had to find out some way to get to Viper. If Panda and the others didn't want to help fine, but he would get his revenge one way or another.

As soon as he hit the bottom step Panda got up off of the couch and walked over to him. He sighed when he saw the old bear begin to approach him. The last thing he wanted right now was to have to spit out an apology and an excuse as to why he wouldn't be coming back the next day.

"Wolf…I believe you and I should talk." Panda stated quietly, trying not to disturb anyone in the room.

Wolf stood straight and eyed the elder skeptically. "You want to talk, well here I am."

"Well first of all I want to say that I owe you an apology."

Wolf raised an eyebrow, that wasn't what he expected. He had figured he'd be the one giving the apology, not receiving one.

"I had let it slip my mind that your sister was one of the many unfortunate casualties of this war. But you must understand that I was only doing what I thought was best for us. But I believe what you said had a point, the valley is our home, and we should fight for what is rightfully ours. That's why," Panda paused for a moment, seemingly in thought. "That's why I believe anybody that wishes to join you on this mission of yours is free to, I know for a fact that they are willing to fallow you to the valley and fight for their home. I just want you to make sure that they all come home."

Wolf placed a hand on the old bear's shoulder with a smile. "I will, now let's get everybody together, we need to see who's willing to fight for what's right."

Within minutes everyone had gathered inside of the living room. A few had walked in from a midnight stroll; others were wiping the sleep from their eyes, annoyed from the fact that they had been awoken from their dreams. Everyone sat quietly in the cramped room, whispering to each other here and there.

Wolf looked at Panda with a grin. "So what now?"

Panda looked back at him mischievously and raised an eyebrow.

"Why ask me, I'm not the one their looking at."

Wolf gazed back at the crowd of onlookers, to his surprise each and every one of them had their gaze placed on him. They all stood at attention, as if awaiting an order. Even Rabbit, although doing his best not to show it had his gaze placed on Wolf, not his usual hatred filled gaze either. More like, "Well now what?"

Wolf stepped out in front of them, not exactly sure what to say.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why you're here." The room grew quiet as he spoke. "The truth is that the world faces a threat far greater than it's ever known before, and we're the only ones who have the chance to stop it. This man, Viper…he holds the key to a weapon so great that he could wipe out the entire planet and us with it. Now I won't lie to you, the odds of fighting him head on aren't great, and I know that the chances of us all coming back are slim. But I can't face him alone; I won't force a single one of you to come with me, but I need to know right now. Which among you are willing to stand with me?"

For a moment everyone was silent, Wolf thought that maybe nobody was willing to fight for their home. Then…Fox stood up, she still had Wolf's jacket around her shoulders. And to his joy she had the ring wrapped snuggly around her finger, it wasn't a definite answer, but it made his heart leap up with joy.

"I've stood by your side since we first met. I know for a fact that my heart tells me to stick with you no matter what happens, and I won't turn my back on you now." Fox finished and stayed standing.

Rabbit stood up next, "If you think I'm going to let you ride off, win this fight and take all the glory then think twice. I'm going too." Rabbit announced, his white lie caught a couple grins from the rest of the crowd, they all knew why he was really going.

Squirrel stood up next and, swallowing a lump in her throat began to speak.

"I've already taken two lives for this cause of yours." She paused for a moment, thinking of what she was going to say next. She looked up bravely, her fate now set. "If I have to take a few more to save the world, then I'm willing to do it."

Donnie stood up after her. "I'd gladly stand beside both you and Squirrel; saving the world is just a bonus." Donnie called out proudly.

His brothers were up next. "We're not going to let our brother run off and fight all alone, we're in!" Mikey shouted excitedly.

Old Mr. Turtle got to his brittle legs next. "Battle means injuries, and injuries mean you need a doctor. I'll gladly join you in this little quest of yours."

Mrs. Duck shot up next. "Warriors fight stronger on well fed bellies, this I know for a fact. So why not?"

One by one the valley animals stood up and declared their loyalty. Each standing proudly in front of Wolf, ready to fight for their home, Wolf looked at each of them with a strong smile.

"Then everybody get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow…we're taking back what's ours!" Wolf shouted proudly, holding his sword up in the air for effect. They each returned his cheer with their own, it seemed like life and strength had returned to the Valley animals. This is what they needed! He didn't know where Viper was right now, but he better watch the hell out! Wolf had amassed a force to be reckoned with!


End file.
